Impact of COVID-19 prevention policies on asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis in early adolescents.

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 prevention policies significantly influenced the prevalence and severity of allergic diseases. While lockdown measures in many countries reduced asthma exacerbations by limiting exposure to respiratory infections and environmental triggers, Taiwan's non-lockdown strategy provided a unique public health model. This study evaluates the impact of Taiwan's COVID-19 prevention policies on the prevalence and severity of allergic diseases in early adolescents.

METHOD: We collected 1519 questionnaires in 2021 and 1165 in 2023 from urban elementary schools. Self-reported data on asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis were analyzed to assess changes in prevalence and severity. Comparisons were made between the two periods to determine the effects of public health measures on adolescent allergic diseases.

RESULTS

In 2021, our survey showed that 3% of participants had wheezing in the past 12 months, and 16.3% experienced nighttime cough. By 2023, both wheezing and nighttime cough significantly increased, along with a rise in rhinitis ever. In contrast, the prevalence of atopic dermatitis ever declined, as did the prevalence of recurrent eczema in the past 12 months over this period.

CONCLUSION

Taiwan's non-lockdown COVID-19 prevention strategy was associated with divergent trends in allergic diseases among early adolescents. Between 2021 and 2023, the prevalence of wheezing and allergic rhinitis increased, while atopic dermatitis and recurrent eczema declined. These findings suggest that pandemic-related behavioral changes, including mask-wearing and social distancing, may have influenced both respiratory and skin-related allergic conditions, highlighting the need to evaluate a broad range of health outcomes when assessing the impact of public health interventions.