Keywords
students
Peshawar
family history
How to Cite
Abstract
Background: Allergies, which are a significant global health concern, are caused by an inappropriate immune system's response to various ecological (environmental, dietary, and drug-related) allergens. Despite the rapidly rising allergic diseases all around the globe, limited data exist on their frequency among Pakistan’s youth and especially Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Objective:
- To determine the frequency and types of allergies among students of Peshawar University.
- To explore the association of allergies with gender and family history among students of Peshawar University.
Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 425 students, aged 15 to 28 years. Participants were selected using Cochran’s formula for sample size determination. Data were collected through structured questionnaires distributed in printed and digital formats. The association between allergies, gender, and family history was analysed using chi-square tests. P- value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results:
In self-reported allergies, dust allergy was the most commonly reported (60.78% in females vs. 52.79% in males, p = 0.08), followed by allergic rhinitis and allergic conjunctivitis. Seasonal allergy (p = 0.04) and contact dermatitis (p = 0.041) were significantly more common among females, whereas pollen allergy was more frequently reported by males (28.93% vs. 18.97%, p = 0.01). Among the 177 participants who reported physician-diagnosed allergies, the most frequent conditions were dust mite allergy (28.2%), allergic rhinitis (15.8%), and atopic dermatitis (12.4%). Cosmetic allergy and atopic dermatitis were significantly more common in females (p < 0.001 and p = 0.037, respectively).
Regarding family history, 240 participants (55.71%) reported a positive family history of allergies. Allergic conjunctivitis had the highest familial association and was significantly more common in females (23.7%) than males (17%) (p = 0.01). Similarly, pollen allergy was more often reported in females (5% vs. 2.0%, p = 0.04). No significant gender differences were observed in the family history of other allergy types.
Conclusion: The study highlights the high prevalence of various allergies among Peshawar University students, with significant associations with gender and family history. Targeted awareness programs, preventive measures, and allergen management strategies are recommended to improve student health and academic outcomes.