This study was planned and carried out with the aim of determining the current and cumulative prevalence of asthma and asthma-like symptoms and evaluating effect of several risk factors on these findings. These cases were collected through the application of modified form of phase I “The European Community Respiratory Health Survey” screening questionnaire in Dokuz Eylül University School of Medicine students. The survey was conducted between 1998 and 1999. Totally 834 students (male=481, female=353) with a mean age of 21.7 ± 2.0 years, were filled the questionnaire. The cumulative prevalence of asthmatic symptom was found to be 6.71% and the current prevalence of asthmatic symptom was found to be 0.5%. These results are similar with the results of the other studies that were made in Turkey.

Keywords:

asthma, prevalence of asthmatic symptoms, medical students, university students, epidemiology