kyoko Suzuki¹, Tomoko Tanuma², Kazunori Kayaba², Hiroshi Yanagawa, Vice President², and Toshiyuki Ojima³. (1) graduate school of allied health sciences, Tokyo medical and dental university, 1-5-45, yushima,bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan, +81-3-5803-5338, kyokos.hbo@tmd.ac.jp, (2) Saitama Prefectural University, 820 Sannomiya, Koshigaya-shi, Saitama-ken, 343-8540, Japan, (3) Department of Public Health, Jichi Medical School, Yakushiji 3311-1, Minamikawachi, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan

OBJECT: Clinical reports suggest that residential environments effect respiratory symptoms. However, the mechanism has not been identified. Moreover, several allergens and respiratory symptoms have not been investigated in population-based studies in Japan. The aims of the present study were to investigate residential environment in relation to self-reported respiratory symptoms by using a questionnaire. METHOD: We used a cross-sectional survey in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, with a total population of almost 7,000,000; also, we adopted a stratified-cluster proportional sampling technique. Initially, we selected 100 areas from 5 divided districts of Saitama Prefecture in proportion to population. From each area, 30 households were chosen randomly. These were divided into 2 groups based on their structural type; 15 detached houses and others, such as apartment house. We used a lay away plan during the period of 1-20 August 2002. Two questionnaires were developed for the survey. One to inquiry regarding house condition and the other to inquire regarding individual residents. The questionnaire on respiratory symptoms asked "Whether they had experienced respiratory symptoms (wheezing with breathlessness) in the last 12 months." RESULTS: A response rate of 78.9% was received. There were 7395 respondents in the whole survey(2368 households). The prevalence of respiratory symptoms was 14.5%(95%CI: 13.7-15.3%). Residential environment association with respiratory symptoms were apartment house (OR =1.32,95%CI: 1.05-1.66), dew condensation in winter (OR =1.32,95%CI: 1.08-1.62), keeping pets(OR =1.27,95%CI:1.09-1.49), close to heavy traffic, farm and shopping district (OR =1.33,95%CI:1.13-1.57). CONCLUSION: This population-based sturdy indicates that residential environments are associated with a risk of respiratory symptoms.

Learning Objectives:

• Clearly identify the outcomes participants can expect to demonstrate as a result of the respiratory symptoms and residential environments

Keywords: Environment, Public Health Research

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
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