Recent research conducted in Sweden by Roxana Minchev and her team found that there were overlapping risk factors for the development of asthma, rhinitis and eczema in adults. The prevalence of asthma and eczema at any age, as well as current rhinitis in adult participants were all inversely associated with increasing age, as was family history of asthma and rhinitis. Additionally, the use of rhinitis medications in the previous 12 months were more common among younger subjects, and the prevalence of allergic sensitization was 29.7 percent, which was decreased by age and more common among male participants. Allergic sensitization was a strong risk factor for current asthma and current rhinitis but not so for current eczema. Finally, obesity was a risk factor for current asthma and current rhinitis, while farm childhood decreased the risk for current asthma and current rhinitis, and occupational exposure to gas dust or fumes and female sex was associated with an increased risk of current asthma and current eczema.

 The research team said that they prepared a questionnaire survey on atopic diseases which was mailed to 30,000 randomly selected adults in West Sweden, which had around 62 percent response rate.