title: Diagnosis and treatment of nasal and ocular allergies: the Allergies, Immunotherapy, and RhinoconjunctivitiS (AIRS) surveys.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC) is managed by a number of health care professional specialties, whose practice styles may vary.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To survey patients and health care professionals about the diagnosis and treatment of ARC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Allergies, Immunotherapy, and RhinoconjunctivitiS (AIRS) surveys were telephone surveys of randomly selected patients and health care professionals in the United States in 2012. Participants were 2,765 people ever diagnosed as having nasal and/or ocular allergies and 500 practitioners in 7 specialties who were treating ARC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adult respondents to the patient survey reported that their allergies had been diagnosed most often by physicians in family practice (46%) rather than by allergists/immunologists (17%) or otolaryngologists (11%). Children's allergies had been diagnosed most often by pediatricians (41%) and family practitioners (22%). Most respondents with conditions diagnosed by an allergist/immunologist (94.9%) or otolaryngologist (62.7%) had been given an allergy test, but the test was not given to most patients with conditions diagnosed by family practitioners (61.3%) or pediatricians (64.9%). Most patients (75.8%) were treating their allergies with over-the-counter medications, and 53.5% were taking prescription medications. Allergen immunotherapy was being used by 33% (adult) or 28% (child) patients of allergist/immunologists, 25% (adult) or 24% (child) patients of otolaryngologists, and 8% and 10% of patients of family practitioners and pediatricians, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most patients took nonprescription medications for their allergy symptoms or were treated by general practitioners, who did not use allergy testing when diagnosing ARC. Most patients seen by allergist/immunologists and otolaryngologists were evaluated with allergy tests, and most allergen immunotherapy was provided by allergy specialists.
authors.affiliation: University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee. Electronic address: michael.blaiss@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Blaiss
authors.affiliation: Section of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Dykewicz
authors.affiliation: Allegheny Health Network, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Skoner
authors.affiliation: NewAge Sys Inc, Princeton Junction, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Coastal ENT Associates, Gulfport, Mississippi.
authors.forename: Bryan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Leatherman
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Pediatrics, Penn State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Timothy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.affiliation: Center for Environmental Prediction, Rutgers University, Springfield, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Leonard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bielory
authors.affiliation: Ear Nose & Throat Associates of Chester County, Exton, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Walstein
authors.affiliation: Global Health Outcomes, Merck & Co Inc, Whitehouse Station, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Felicia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Allen-Ramey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D003625:Data Collection; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic; D005191:Family Characteristics; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult