ENT Updates
Original Article

The Score for Allergic Rhinitis study in Turkey, 2020

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ENT Department, Eskisehir Osmangazi University School of Medicine, Eskisehir, Turkey

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ENT Department, Kırıkkale University School of Medicine, Kırıkkale, Turkey

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ENT Clinic, Health Sciences University, Fethi Sekin City Hospital, Elazig, Turkey

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ENT Clinic, Çukurova State Hospital, Adana, Turkey

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ENT Clinic, Kumluca State Hospital, Antalya, Turkey

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ENT Clinic, Serik State Hospital, Antalya, Turkey

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ENT Department, Health Sciences University, Sultangazi Haseki Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey

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ENT Clinic, Bahçelievler State Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey

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ENT Clinic, Private Keşan Hospital Edirne, Turkey

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ENT Clinic, Koru Private Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

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ENT Department, Trakya University School of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey

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ENT Department, İstanbul Şişli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey

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ENT Department, Aksaray University School of Medicine, Training and Research Hospital, Aksaray, Turkey

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ENT Department, Binali Yıldırım University School of Medicine, Mengücek Gazi Training and Research Hospital, Erzincan, Turkey

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ENT Department, Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey

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ENT Department, Pamukkale University School of Medicine, Denizli, Turkey

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ENT Department, Aydın Adnan Menderes University School of Medicine, Aydın, Turkey

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ENT Department, Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University School of Medicine, Bolu, Turkey

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ENT Department, Karadeniz Technical University School of Medicine, Trabzon, Turkey

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ENT Department, Başkent Training and Research Center, Adana, Turkey

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ENT Department, Kütahya Health Sciences University School of Medicine, Kütahya, Turkey

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ENT Department, Manisa Celal Bayar University School of Medicine, Manisa, Turkey

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ENT Department, Beykent University School of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey

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ENT Department, Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University School of Medicine, Tekirdağ, Turkey

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ENT Department, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University School of Medicine, Muğla, Turkey

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ENT Department, Bahçeşehir University School of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey

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ENT Department, Sivas Cumhuriyet University School of Medicine, Sivas, Turkey

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ENT Department, Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

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ENT Department, Haydarpaşa Numune Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey

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ENT Department, İnönü University School of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey

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ENT Department, Dicle University School of Medicine, Diyarbakır, Turkey

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ENT Department, Harran University School of Medicine, Urfa, Turkey

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ENT Department, Karabük University School of Medicine, Karabük, Turkey

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ENT Clinic, Nevşehir State Hospital, Nevşehir, Turkey

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ENT Department, Health Sciences University, İzmir Bozyaka Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey

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Biostatics Department, Eskisehir Osmangazi University School of Medicine, Eskisehir, Turkey

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ENT Department, Keçiören Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

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ENT Clinic, Bahçeşehir University Göztepe Medical Park, İstanbul, Turkey

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ENT Department, Health Sciences University Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey

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ENT Department, Health Sciences University Erzurum Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey

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ENT Department, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University School of Medicine, Rize, Turkey

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ENT Clinic, Bahçelievler Medical Park, İstanbul, Turkey

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ENT Department, Başkent University Zübeyde Hanım Application and Research Center, İzmir, Turkey

ENT Updates 2021; 11: 1-7
DOI: 10.5152/entupdates.2021.21024
Read: 4028 Downloads: 1066 Published: 22 April 2021

Objective: This study aimed to determine how prevalent allergic rhinitis (AR) is in Turkey and to compare the current prevalence with the figures obtained 10 years earlier.

Methods: This study included 9,017 participants. The minimum number of participants required from each center was determined via a stratified sampling technique according to regional demographic characteristics as ascertained from the last census. For each region, both men and women were administered the score for allergic rhinitis (SFAR) questionnaire and a score for each participant was calculated based on the responses supplied.

Results: A total of 9,017 individuals (55.3% men and 44.7% women) took part in this study. Of these, 94.4% were urban residents and 5.6% lived in a rural setting. Of the men, 38.5% self-reported as suffering from AR. The corresponding figure in women was 40.5%. The overall prevalence of AR, as deduced on the basis of the SFAR, was found to be 36.7%. Comparing the prevalence in different regions, we found that AR was the least prevalent in the Black Sea region with a frequency of 35.8%. The highest prevalence was in the Mediterranean region, where the prevalence was 37.7%. There was no statistical significance in the apparent differences in prevalence between different geographical regions. Despite this, however, there was a clear increase in the frequency of AR over the preceding decade. This increase was most pronounced in the South-Eastern Anatolian region, where the frequency rose from 21.0% to 36.9%.

Conclusion: Our results indicate that there has been a marked increase in the prevalence of AR in every region in Turkey over the last 10 years. This could be related to living conditions in urban environments. Alterations in lifestyle, urban living, air pollution causing impairments in immune defense mechanisms, and other aspects of modern lifestyles may account for the increase in AR in Turkey.

Cite this article as: Cingi C, Muluk NB, Susaman N, et al. The Score for Allergic Rhinitis study in Turkey, 2020. ENT-Updates. 2021; 11(1): 1-7.

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