New online resource on Allergic Rhinitis from the World Allergy Organization provides globally relevant information on the disease.
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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – MILWAUKEE, WI USA – The World Health Organization has estimated that 400 million people in the world suffer from allergic rhinitis, which is a risk factor for asthma and is associated with other allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis, conjunctivitis, sinusitis, and nasal polyposis and requires concomitant treatment.
“Allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis already have a high prevalence rate globally that is rising along with the burden to patient, family and society. It is essential that health practitioners everywhere have access to the most up-to-date information about symptoms, diagnostic measures and treatment methods including patient education,” said Richard F. Lockey, MD, President of the World Allergy Organization. “WAO assembled a group of experts to develop a repository of information that can be conveniently and freely accessed by all those who care for patients with allergic rhinitis or are affected by the burden of the disease.”
According to Sandra González Díaz, MD, the Chair of the WAO Allergic Rhinitis Working Group, “The burden of allergic rhinitis is far-reaching. Physical symptoms, psychological effects, sleep disturbances, and interference with social interaction, among others, significantly impact the quality of life of patients and families. The financial and economic burden is high, with increased medication costs and visits to health practitioners as well as absenteeism and decreased productivity at work. In the United States alone, direct costs for allergic rhinitis increased from $2.7 billion in 1995 to $7.3 billion in 2002. We hope that our outreach will lead to a greater understanding of allergic rhinitis and improved disease management and patient quality of life.”
Access to a broad range of information on allergic rhinitis is available in the online repository such as online lectures, interactive case reports, slide presentations, audio interviews with experts, and educational synopses. Reports of findings from the “Landmark Surveys of Nasal Allergy Sufferers,”(1) which are based on telephone interviews conducted with allergic rhinitis patients in various regions of the world, are accessible in the repository. The working group is also developing two new online learning modules for release in 2012 based on case histories. In a self-paced interactive program, visitors will be able to move through the case histories and follow links to a number of resources available online on the topic of allergic rhinitis. For more information, visit http://www.worldallergy.org/allergic_rhinitis.
Note:
(1) The Landmark Surveys, including Allergies in Latin America, Allergies in Asia Pacific, Allergies in America, and Allergies in Canada, were conducted by public opinion research organizations and supported by Nycomed.
About the World Allergy Organization The World Allergy Organization (WAO) is an international federation whose members consist of 89 regional and national allergy, asthma and clinical immunology societies from around the world. By collaborating with member societies, WAO provides direct educational outreach programs, symposia and lectureships to members in 92 countries. The organization was founded in 1951 and has successfully organized 21 major congresses. WAO also sponsors scientific symposia in developing areas throughout the world and jointly sponsors postgraduate programs on allergy and clinical immunology during professional, non-allergy association congresses.
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