title: Two thirds of forest walkers with Japanese cedar pollinosis visit forests even during the pollen season.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The most common type of pollinosis in Japan is Japanese cedar pollinosis (JCP). While forest walking is a common form of recreation for Japanese people, it has been unclear whether forest walkers with JCP still choose to visit forested areas during the pollen season or whether they avoid those areas, and as such, the aim of this study was to investigate this question.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study participants were all healthy men and women volunteers aged 20 years or over who visited the Tokyo University Forest in Chiba during 4 different days. The survey was conducted using self-administered questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of available responses was 498. Of these, 112 participants who experienced JCP were included in the analysis. Seventy-three participants (65.2%) responded that they visit forests even during the pollen season. The association between forest walking choices during the pollen season and self-rated levels of pollinosis symptoms was not statistically significant (Cramer's V = 0.13, p = 0.47). As many as 60% of the participants who reported serious symptom levels responded that they visit forested areas even during the pollen season.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results revealed that two thirds of forest walkers who had experienced JCP visited forests even during the pollen season. This indicates the further need for public service announcements informing people with JCP that the risk of pollen exposure and subsequent JCP reaction is increased by visiting forested areas during the pollen season.
authors: Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. emorita@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp
authors: Emi
authors: E
authors: Morita
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Nagano
authors: Hirokazu
authors: H
authors: Yamamoto
authors: Isao
authors: I
authors: Murakawa
authors: Mieko
authors: M
authors: Aikawa
authors: Taro
authors: T
authors: Shirakawa
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects; D032485:Cryptomeria / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011058:Pollen / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011998:Recreation; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012621:Seasons; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014197:Trees
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens