Experiences from an allergy prevention programme in schoolchildren in a Swedish community.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate an allergy prevention programme in a community.


METHODS
Allergy prevention programme initiated by a special community allergy prevention committee and evaluation of this programme by means of a questionnaire to schoolchildren on repeated occasions during the period 1980 to 1998.


METHODS
The community of Habo in Sweden with about 9500 inhabitants.


METHODS
Prevalence of allergy manifestations according to the questionnaire.


RESULTS
In contrast to what is mostly reported, the prevalence of allergic manifestations seemed to decrease in the community of Habo during the observation period.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate a benefit from an intensified allergy prevention programme on the local level, but additional observations from other communities are needed in order to draw safe conclusions about the effect of allergy prevention programmes.
Hannerz
A
A
Health Centre of Rosenlund, Jönköping, Sweden.
D000293:Adolescent; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015995:Prevalence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology