Prevalence of Allergic Rhinitis Among Children and Its Characteristics in Al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia

Objective The objective of the study is to estimate the prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) and its characteristics among the pediatric population at Dr. Suliman AlHabib Hospital in Buraydah, Al-Qassim region, Saudi Arabia. Methods This cross-sectional, retrospective study utilized data (n = 217) from the ENT department's medical records at Dr. Suliman AlHabib Hospital in Buraydah, covering a three-year period from January 1, 2020, to January 1, 2023. A modified version of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children (ISAAC) questionnaire was employed. The data was analyzed using R language version 4.3.3 (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria). Results The prevalence of AR among the children studied was 7%, with male patients showing a higher prevalence than female patients. No significant correlation was found between AR prevalence and age or body mass index (BMI), although adolescents were noted to have the highest prevalence compared to other age groups. Family history of allergies and parental smoking emerged as potential influencing factors, suggesting that environmental and genetic components might play a role in the development of AR. Conclusion The study highlights key trends in the epidemiology of AR among children in Buraydah. Although several risk factors, such as family history and parental smoking, were identified, the findings suggest the need for further research to fully understand the underlying causes and influences on AR. Future studies should aim to expand the sample size and investigate these associations more comprehensively to support effective public health strategies in the region.