title: Prevalence of allergic rhinitis based on the SACRA questionnaire among Japanese nursing professionals with asthma.
abstract: Although adult asthma is attributable to occupational factors and asthma and rhinitis are related, relatively few studies have investigated the prevalence of occupational rhinitis based on occupation, and knowledge of occupational rhinitis in Japan is currently limited. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to estimate the prevalence of allergic rhinitis among Japanese nursing professionals with asthma. A postal survey was conducted from October to December 2013 using translated versions of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey for the prevalence of asthma and State of the Impact of Allergic Rhinitis on Asthma Control questionnaire for the prevalence of rhinitis. Of 4,634 Japanese nursing professionals, 497 subjects had asthma, and 270 of these 497 subjects had allergic rhinitis (54.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 49.7-58.7). Latex allergy was significantly associated with allergic rhinitis (odds ratio, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.21-2.60). There was no relationship between employment period and prevalent allergic rhinitis. The results of this study provide fundamental information regarding occupational health among Japanese nursing professionals, including the prevalence of allergic rhinitis among Japanese nursing professionals with asthma and latex allergy as a potential risk factor for prevalent allergic rhinitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine and Rheumatology, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine.
authors.forename: Masanari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kurai
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sano
authors.forename: Saeko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Torai
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yanase
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Funakoshi
authors.forename: Atsuko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fukada
authors.forename: Sachiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hayakawa
authors.forename: Hiroya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kitano
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shimizu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D020315:Latex Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult