Proportion of Quebecers who suffer from seasonal allergies, also called seasonal rhinitis
Seasonal allergies can appear at almost any time of life, but they usually affect children around the age of 10. Some allergies may appear or disappear as the child grows.
Seasonal allergies usually start in the spring, can last all summer, and end in the fall. However, the source of the pollen responsible for allergies varies depending on the season.
The pollen that causes allergy symptoms usually travels within a radius of up to 1 km.
Climate change lengthens the period during which plants and trees produce pollen. “The pollens are going to be in the air longer and the symptoms could last longer,” explains Magalie Canuel, epidemiologist at the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ).
Warmer temperatures will also favor the spread of certain plants, such as ragweed. Air pollution also has an impact, stimulating plant growth and weakening the nasal lining, which makes people with allergies more susceptible to pollen, Canuel says.
Cost of seasonal allergies for the Quebec health system during the last INSPQ study carried out in 2005. These costs are notably generated by the purchase of drugs, consultations with health professionals, asthma complications and the purchase of devices to improve air quality.
In the coming decades, allergies will cost the health care system more and more. One report estimates the cost of ragweed pollen allergies to the Quebec government at $360 million in 2065, according to a report published by the Ouranos consortium in 2015.
