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Background:
In this article we
present the basic
methodological
aspects of the
clinical
epidemiologic study
Alergológica-2005, a
project launched by
the Spanish Society
of Allergology and
Clinical Immunology
replicating the
objectives and
methods of a similar
study carried out in
1992.
Objective:
The aim of this
nation-wide study
was to describe the
profile of the
patients treated in
Spanish allergology
departments, the
normal clinical
practice followed by
the specialists in
these departments,
the social and
healthcare
repercussions of
allergic diseases in
Spain together with
the additional
objective of
identifying any
possible relevant
changes that may
have taken place
regarding these
factors during the
decade since the
original study was
completed
(1992-2005).
Methods: An
observational,
descriptive,
cross-sectional
study was carried
out over the year
2005 using a
convenience sample
of allergic patients
(recruited
consecutively from a
different random
date for each
researcher
participating in the
study) who were
treated in the
departments, both
private and public,
of 340 specialists
in allergology
working in the
Spanish healthcare
system. The sample
was stratified
geographically by
autonomous region in
a ratio proportional
to the population of
each geographical
area.
Results:
Clinical,
epidemiological,
diagnostic,
therapeutic, social
and general
healthcare data were
collected from 4991
allergic patients
presenting for the
first time in the
departments of the
researchers involved
in the study. The
results and
conclusions will be
presented classified
by disorder in the
following research
articles published
in this issue.
Conclusions:
The methodological
aspects described
guarantee the
accuracy of the
estimates made in
the current study
and the
comparability of the
results with those
of Alergológica 92
project.
Key words:
Allergy and
immunology.
Outpatient. Offi ce
visits. Morbidity.
Physicians practice
patterns. |
