Prevalence of allergic rhinitis among the adult population in Turkey

Conclusion: The prevalence of self-reported and physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis (AR) exhibits significant variability across the seven geographical regions in Turkey. Our findings may contribute to the formulation of public health policy and development of preventive and therapeutic strategies for AR in Turkey. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of AR in the Turkish adult population, with emphasis on descriptive parameters in seven distinct geographical regions in Turkey. Methods: The volunteers were evaluated with a custom-designed questionnaire for AR. Sample size for the study was calculated by allowing for 2% error in prevalence along with a 95% confidence interval (CI). At the end of the study, we reached 4125 volunteers. The data were analyzed with ?2, ANOVA, and Tukey (post hoc) tests. Results: A total of 4125 volunteers participated in the study; 2200 were female and 1925 were male. On the basis of self-reporting, 23.1% of the study population was considered to have AR (males 22.3%, females 23.8%). On the other hand, the prevalence of physician-diagnosed AR was 20.1% (males 19.7%, females 20.4%). The prevalence of self-reported AR was 23.8% in the urban and 18.4% in the rural areas. © 2010 Informa UK Ltd.