Epidemiology of bronchial asthma and chronic rhinitis in schoolchildren of different ethnic origins from two neighboring towns in Israel

Allergic diseases have increased significantly in developed countries for reasons yet to be determined. We studied the epidemiology of bronchial asthma (B.A.) and chronic rhinitis (Ch.R.) among Israeli school children from two neighboring towns, one Jewish (Zichron Yaakov, school population = 585) and the other Arab (Paradis, school population = 658). The children (age range 8-17 years, 567 males, 676 females) shared the same climate and had similar demographic characteristics. They received similar medical care and had the same rates of hospitalization and emergency room visits. The Jewish children had a higher prevalence of B.A. (13.7% vs. 9.4%), Ch.R. (19.7% vs. 9.7%), and stuffy nose (31% vs. 14%) than their Arab counterparts. In addition to ethnicity, parental smoking habits were the major differentiating factor between the two groups: 20% of the mothers and 29% of the fathers from Zichron Yaakov and 2% of the mothers and 60% of the fathers from Paradis were smokers. Smoking fathers increased the rate of B.A. in both towns as well as emergency room visits, but not the rate of Ch.R. or stuffy nose. A familial history of B.A. was the main determinant for having childhood asthma or chronic rhinitis. We conclude that in addition to family history and ethnicity, smoking among mothers was the major contributing factor for the higher prevalence of atopic diseases among Jewish schoolchildren compared to their Arab counterparts.