title: (Un)Awareness of allergy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergy is associated with considerable morbidity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this multicenter study was to provide insight into allergy knowledge and perceptions among the population.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the World Allergy Day, several allergy clinics conducted public meetings to encourage the awareness of and education in allergy. At the beginning, participants filled out a questionnaire to assess their knowledge about what is allergy and to determine by whom those symptoms are cared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 256 participants (187 women/69 men, mean age, 31.2 ± 12.5 years) completed the survey. Of the 202 participants with symptoms, 58.9% had physician-diagnosed allergic disease. Among the 19 symptoms evaluated, 56.5% of the symptoms were recognized as related with allergy, and this increased in compliance with education level (r = +0.427; P < 0.001) but not with diagnosed allergy (P = 0.34). Sneezing was the most common symptom thought to be related with allergy-related symptom (77.5%), whereas loss of smell was the least one (37.9%). Participants were more likely to be cared by an allergologist (72.9%) followed by other specialties, when experiencing allergy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increasing the awareness for allergic symptoms is the key not only for the diagnosis but also for the optimal treatment. Therefore, education is an important component of prevention and control of allergic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Allergic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Kirikkale University, Kirikkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: A Fusun
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Kalpaklioglu
authors.forename: Ilkay Koca
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Kalkan
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akcay
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Reisli
authors.forename: Demet
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Can
authors.forename: Nevin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uzuner
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yuksel
authors.forename: Cengiz
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kirmaz
authors.forename: Figen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gulen
authors.forename: Dane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ediger