Experiences from an allergy prevention programme in schoolchildren in a Swedish community.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate an allergy prevention programme in a community.

DESIGN

Allergy prevention programme initiated by a special community allergy prevention committee and evaluation of this programme by means of a questionnaire to schoolchildren on repeated occasions during the period 1980 to 1998.

SETTING

The community of Habo in Sweden with about 9500 inhabitants.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Prevalence of allergy manifestations according to the questionnaire.

RESULTS

In contrast to what is mostly reported, the prevalence of allergic manifestations seemed to decrease in the community of Habo during the observation period.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate a benefit from an intensified allergy prevention programme on the local level, but additional observations from other communities are needed in order to draw safe conclusions about the effect of allergy prevention programmes.