title: Prevalence of self-reported respiratory symptoms in rural areas of Iran in 2000.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of the present study were to measure the population prevalence of symptoms of asthma, chronic bronchitis, obstructive lung disease and non-specific respiratory symptoms in randomly selected rural communities in south-west Isfahan, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine hundred and ninety-four subjects from a total of 1127 villagers (88.2% response rate) took part in a medical interview conducted by interns from the Isfahan Medical School.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean (+/-SD) age of the population surveyed was 25.21 +/- 17.55 years and the smoking rate was 7.2%. The self-reported prevalence rates for current asthma, chronic bronchitis, non-specific exercise-induced cough and night cough were 6.1, 4.4, 13.3 and 11.3%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Asthma, chronic bronchitis and other respiratory disorders in rural Isfahan are more prevalent than expected for a young rural population with low smoking rates. The cause of this should be investigated.
authors: Division of Pulmonary Medicine, St Zahra Medical Center, Isfahan, Iran. golshan@medscape.com
authors: Mohammad
authors: M
authors: Golshan
authors: Behnoosh
authors: B
authors: Esteki
authors: Payam
authors: P
authors: Dadvand
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012424:Rural Population