MSc in epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran

Asthma and allergic diseases remain among the most important health problem in different societies that affect childhood life. These diseases mostly seem to be occurred in children with family history positive. In this study، we aimed to evaluate the association between family history and the prevalence of allergic diseases in children in Gonabad.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the city of Gonabad in 2011 year. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire were completed by 1627 students whom were selected by using multi-level sampling across city. The Chi-Square test was used for comparison of qualitative variables between two groups and Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.

Of the total (1627) participated students، 876 (53. 8%) were boys and 751 (46. 2%) were girls. Mean age of children was 14. 5±1. 8. Almost forty percent of children had at least one allergic symptom at sometime in their life and 48/1% had family history and 35/1% did not have family history (P<0. 001). However، lifetime and 12-month prevalence of rhinitis symptoms، 12-month prevalence of rhino conjunctivitis and lifetime hay fever and eczema was significantly higher in students with positive family history than those with negative family history (P<0. 05).

Our study shows that the prevalence of most allergic disorders was higher in children with positive family history. It seems that heredity plays a major role in the occurrence of allergic diseases in children.