title: Prevalence of asthma and rhinitis in a Tunisian population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Asthma and rhinitis are a major public health problem because of their frequency, their impact on quality of life and economic burden. In Tunisia, epidemiological data are scarce. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of asthma and rhinitis in a representative Tunisian population and to analyze the association between them.
  
  
  METHODS
  It was a cross-sectional population-based study, involving individuals aged between 2 and 52 years, living in Tunis. A sample of the general population was generated using a random stratified sampling method. A detailed face-to-face questionnaire based on ISAAC and the ECRHS survey was used. Classification of rhinitis was evaluated according to ARIA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data were obtained from 4470 responders (40.2% male and 59.8% female). The response rate was 96.5%. The prevalence of current asthma was 6.5% (CI 5.9%-7.8%). A slight female predominance was observed in children and adolescents but in adulthood gender-specific prevalence estimates were similar. The prevalence of rhinitis in the general population was 11.7% (CI 10.1%-13.5%) in children and 13.4% (CI 11.1%-14.6%) in 15 years and older. No statistically significant differences were found according to gender and age. Almost half of asthmatics' had current rhinitis or rhinoconjunctivitis versus 13.4% in the population sample (P < 0.001). Current asthma was reported in 22.5% subjects with current rhinitis or with rhinoconjunctivitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Asthma and rhinitis represent a considerable public health problem in children and adults up to age 52 in Tunisian population. Our results confirm also the strong association between them. These findings highlight the need for a clinical global assessment of asthma together with rhinitis.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Research Unit 12SP06, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Rabta Hospital, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis, 1007, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Toujani
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sonia
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Research Unit 12SP06, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Rabta Hospital, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis, 1007, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mjid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meriem
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Research Unit 12SP06, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Rabta Hospital, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis, 1007, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Ouahchi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yacine
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Research Unit 12SP06, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Rabta Hospital, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis, 1007, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Ben Salah
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Nozha
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Research Unit 12SP06, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Rabta Hospital, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis, 1007, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mhiri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nadia
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Research Unit 12SP06, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Rabta Hospital, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis, 1007, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Louzir
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bechir
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Research Unit 12SP06, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Rabta Hospital, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis, 1007, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Daghfous
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jalloul
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Research Unit 12SP06, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Rabta Hospital, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis, 1007, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Chérif
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jouda
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Research Unit 12SP06, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Rabta Hospital, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis, 1007, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Béji
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Majed
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D011788:Quality of Life; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: asthma; cross-sectional study; prevalence; rhinitis