December 26, 2017
A large national study has been carried out to understand the consequences of dust mite allergy on the daily lives of people who suffer from it.
Disabling symptoms in everyday life
Sneezing, headaches, itching and sometimes asthma… The manifestations of an allergy to dust mites are numerous. The ALK laboratory wanted to know how the consequences of these symptoms act on the daily lives of patients. He therefore ordered an investigation from the OpinionWay institute. And according to this study, dust mite allergy has a very concrete impact on the daily life of those affected.
This vast national study was carried out among 4,800 French people. According to the results, people who are allergic to dust mites regularly have disabling symptoms in their everyday life : sneezing for 71% of them, runny nose (for 65% of respondents), itching (61%) or even red and / or swollen eyes (51%). And that’s not all, dust mite allergy can be accompanied by difficulty in breathing in 45% of respondents, a chronic cough (36%) or wheezing in the chest (30%).
Severe fatigue and impaired work performance
The allergy to dust mites is therefore difficult to live with on a daily basis: 62% of people questioned say they are more tired during the day, 39% feel irritable and 37% experience loss of motivation and concentration. At work, 76% of patients see their performance impaired. The most obvious effects are decreased productivity (40%), drowsiness (39%) and difficulty concentrating (39%).
At last, 70% of patients sometimes have to give up certain leisure activities because of their allergies, or for fear of triggering it. The practice of a sport and the activities which involve the presence of animals are most often mentioned, but outings with friends and going on vacation are also a source of problems. As a reminder, in France, 20 million people suffer from an allergy, or 30% of the national population. In 1 in 2 cases, it is an allergy to dust mites.
Marie-Eve Wilson-Jamin
Read also: How to prevent allergies to house dust mites?
