How many teenagers think they have allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and what they do about it

A study was made to assess the proportion of 17-year-old students who consider themselves to have allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and to find out how they treat themselves.

The study was performed outside the pollen season in 1993 and 1994 and 5,938 first-year secondary school students in eight different cities were asked to answer a questionnaire during class.

A total of 1,458 students (24%) claimed that they suffered from allergic rhinoconjunctivitis after being given a description of the disease. Sixty-five percent had had symptoms for 3 or more years and most of the sufferers, 71%, had had symptoms during the spring and/or summer. In 32% of the sufferers the causative agent was unknown. Seventy-six percent (n = 1,103) of the sufferers treated themselves with drugs. The most commonly used drugs for a systemic effect were nonsedating antihistamines and for a local effect, sodium cromoglycate. Of those who used nasal drugs (sodium cromoglycate and/or steroids, n = 545), only 14% used them daily, 51% always when having symptoms, and 35% occasionally when having symptoms. The reasons for not using nasal sprays daily were inconvenience and embarrassment. Twenty-five percent had bought the drug over the counter in 1992, the first year when allergy drugs could be purchased without a prescription. The use of over-the-counter treatment increased in the following year to 33% (P < .05).

We conclude that many young people perceive themselves as having allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and that the treatment can be much improved for the group as a whole.