BRONCHIAL ASTHMA AND RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN GRODNO AND GRODNO REGION. FIVE-YEAR EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY
Because of gaps in knowledge of real prevalence of bronchial asthma in children living in Grodno Region, we have conducted two epidemiological studies of this pathology and symptoms incidence in primary school children using a questionnaire adopted in international epidemiological studies (ISAAC), in the same schools of the region. The article presents the questioning results of parents of 1,110 and 1,427 urban and 1,000 and 1,597 rural children aged 6-10 years old in 2009 and 2014. Low incidence of diagnosed bronchial asthma as compared to the neighbouring countries could be explained by the known East-West gradient and “hygienic hypothesis” concepts described in literature over the last decades. Disease underdiagnosis is expected, when this diagnosis, due to any reasons, is made as “obstructive bronchitis”, “asthmatic bronchitis”, etc.