Allergy Statistics

Allergic Rhinitis

• Roughly 7.8% of people 18 and over in the U.S. have hay fever.
• In 2010, white children in the U.S. were more likely to have had hay fever (10%) than black children (7%).
• Worldwide, allergic rhinitis affects between 10% and 30 % of the population.
• Worldwide, sensitization (IgE antibodies) to foreign proteins in the environment is present in up to 40% of the population.
• In 2012, 7.5% or 17.6 million adults were diagnosed with hay fever in the past 12 months.
• In 2012, 9.0% or 6.6 million children reported hay fever in the past 12 months.
• In 2010, 11.1 million visits to physician offices resulted with a primary diagnosis of allergic rhinitis.

Drug Allergy

• Worldwide, adverse drug reactions may affect up to 10% of the world’s population and affect up to 20% of all hospitalized patients.
• Worldwide, drugs may be responsible for up to 20% of fatalities due to anaphylaxis.

Food Allergy

• Findings from a 2009 to 2010 study of 38,480 children (infant to 18) indicated:

8% have a food allergy
o    Approximately 6% aged 0-2 years have a food allergy
o    About 9% aged 3-5 years have a food allergy
o    Nearly 8% aged 6-10 years have a food allergy
o    Approximately 8% aged 11-13 years have a food allergy
o    More than 8.5% aged 14-18 years have a food allergy

• 38.7% of food allergic children have a history of severe reactions
• 30.4% of food allergic children have multiple food allergies
• Of food allergic children, peanut is the most prevalent allergen, followed by milk and then shellfish
• In 2012, 5.6% or 4.1 million children reported food allergies in the past 12 months.

General Allergy

• Worldwide, the rise in prevalence of allergic diseases has continued in the industrialized world for more than 50 years.
• Worldwide, sensitization rates to one or more common allergens among school children are currently approaching 40%-50%.
• In 2012, 10.6% or 7.8 million children reported respiratory allergies in the past 12 months.

Insect Allergy

• Worldwide, in up to 50% of individuals who experience a fatal reaction there is no documented history of a previous systemic reaction.

Sinusitis

• Roughly 13% of people 18 and over in the U.S. have sinusitis.

Skin Allergy

• In 2010, black children in the U.S. were more likely to have had skin allergies (17%) than white (12%) or Asian (10%) children.
• Worldwide, urticaria occurs with lifetime prevalence above 20%.
• In 2012, 12.0% or 8.8 million children reported skin allergies in the past 12 months.

References
1. Bloom B, Cohen RA, Freeman G. Summary health statistics for U.S. children: National Health Interview Survey, 2010. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 10(250). 2011.

2. Gupta, R, et al. The Prevalence, Severity and Distribution of Childhood Food Allergy in the United States. Pediatrics 2011; 10.1542/ped.2011-0204.

3. World Health Organization. White Book on Allergy 2011-2012 Executive Summary. By Prof. Ruby Pawankar, MD, PhD, Prof. Giorgio Walkter Canonica, MD, Prof. Stephen T. Holgate, BSc, MD, DSc, FMed Sci and Prof. Richard F. Lockey, MD.

4. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2010. By Jeannine S. Schiller, M.P.H., Jacqueline W. Lucas, M.P.H., Brian W. Ward, PhD and Jennifer A. Peregory, M.P.H., Division of Health Interview Statistics.

5. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2012, table 3, 4.

6.  Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Children: National Health Interview Survey, 2012, table 2.

7. National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2010 Summary Tables, table 13.