THE CORRELATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS WITH THE PREVALENCE OF ATOPIC DISEASE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN

Abstract

Atopic diseases (AD) are a group of diseases involving the underlying immune system. The etiology of AD is believed to be multifactorial, caused by the interaction between genetic factors, the immune system, and environmental factors. This study was aimed to assess the correlation of environmental factors with atopic diseases in elementary school children. A cross-sectional design and questionnaires, developed by the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), were used to determine the atopic disease record and environmental conditions in sample of 88 rural and urban elementary school children. The sampling method was purposive sampling with each one representatives of primary schools in rural and urban areas. The data were analysed using the chi-square test. There was a significant correlation statistically (p-value < 0.05) between asthma incidence to the floor condition (i.e., cement vs. ceramic tile) (p = 0.008). Rhinitis allergic and dermatitis allergic did not give significant correlations statistically (p > 0.05) to environmental conditions like the smoke-exposure area, food allergen, floor condition of the residence, and residence location. There was no significant relation between the environment and the atopic incident record of the elementary children. Floor condition was an environmental factor that significantly influence to asthma occurrence in elementary children.