[Surveying the satisfaction levels of participants in an epidemiological research project].

The aim of this study was to assess participants' satisfaction in an epidemiological research project. The questionnaire included 7 closed questions (concerning organisation, reception, and information) and 3 open-ended questions (regarding motivations, and expectations). In this multi-faceted epidemiological study on asthma, the questionnaire's acceptance was high (298 responses received/328 questionnaires).

Short-term effects of airborne pollen on the risk of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.

The authors carried out a pilot study in Clermont-Ferrand (France) over the period from 2000 to 2001 to analyze the short-term relationship between daily variations in rhinitis and allergic conjunctivitis and daily variations in pollen counts. Data from the ERASME database made it possible to identify all the individuals for whom at least one drug was prescribed to treat rhinitis or allergic conjunctivitis. Ten allergenic pollens were studied, and a Poisson regression model with penalized spline functions was used.

[The heat wave of August 2003: what happened?].

A heat wave of exceptional intensity occurred in France in August 2003, 2003 was the warmest of the last 53 years in terms of minimal, maximal and average temperatures, and in terms of duration. In addition, high temperatures and sunshine, causing the emission of pollutants, significantly increased the atmospheric ozone level. Some epidemiological studies were rapidly implemented during the month of August in order to asses the health impact of this heat wave.