EXPOSURE TO ENVIRONMENTAL RISK FACTORS AND RESPIRATORY DISORDERS IN CHILDREN.

A survey was conducted in 10 areas of Northern-Central Italy in the period 1994/1995, to provide data on the prevalence of respiratory disorders in children, and to identify possible risk factors for these conditions (SIDRIA- Italian Studies on Respiratory Disorders in Children and the Environment). Smoking habits of parents was found to be associated with wheezing in children (1); high frequency of lorry traffic in the street of residence was associated with increased risks for many adverse respiratory outcomes (2).In the year 2002, a second population based survey has been conducted in 13 italian areas, including 3 centers of South Italy, in order to improve national estimates of the prevalence of respiratory disorders and of the exposure to risk factors, as well as to evaluate variations in time trends of the respiratory disorders in children and to identify environmental factors that may relate to these possible variations.The sample include 13380 adolescents (13-14 yrs) and 19394 children (6-7 yrs), living in 13 areas varying in size, latitude, climate and level of urbanisation. Information on several health outcomes (including the complete set of ISAAC modules regarding asthma, rhinitis and eczema) and on many environmental risk factors (including smoking and traffic indicators in the area of residence) have been collected with questionnaires completed by parents and also from adolescents themselves (respiratory disorders and active smoke).Preliminary results show that more than 19% of subjects report a high traffic density in the zone of residence; frequency of lorry traffic in the street of residence is reported as very frequent by more than 20% of subjects. Smoking habit among parents and adolescents shows a slight reduction compared to 1995 survey. Analysis of the data are on-going and detailed results of the association between environmental factors and respiratory disorders will be presented at the conference. The study is partially funded by the Italian Ministry of Health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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