Study title

The aim of the project was to map out the occurrence of asthma in a general population of young adults in Bergen and its relation to vocational position, indoor climate and diet. The project also included a study where one compared the occurrence and variation of asthma prevalence among young people in Hordaland with the results in 15 other European countries. The hypothesis for the project was that vocational position, indoor climate and diets are in causal connection with variable air current obstruction in Norway. One has therefore aimed at registering such effect variables as air way symptoms, lung infection and usage of medication, as well as registering expositional variables such as smoking habits, vocational exposition, diets, house, indoor climate and allergies. It was a cross sectional study where the effect of expositional levels was followed up in longitudinal studies. Phase one consisted of a questionnaire among 4300 persons, in the second phase 1200 persons were called inn for clinical observations and face-to-face interviewing. The sample consists of a random sample of men and women in the age 20-44 years who are living in Bergen pr. 1. October 1991. The sample was drawn by Sentralkontoret for folkeregistrering. Phase one: gross sample 4300, net sample 3450. Phase two: gross sample 1200, net sample 903.