The Respiratory Health in Northern Europe (RHINE) II was a follow-up study of all RHINE participants at baseline. The target population was all subjects from Reykjavik in Iceland, Bergen in Norway, Umeå, Uppsala and Göteborg in Sweden, Aarhus in Denmark and Tartu in Estonia that participated in RHINE I and were still alive with known residential address at the time of RHINE II.

The eligible subjects were sent a postal questionnaire in 1999-2001. In total 16,191 (74.3%) subjects answered the questionnaire. This questionnaire included questions on respiratory symptoms, asthma, rhinitis, bronchitis, smoking, indoor environment, occupation, early life exposure, women’s health and sleep disorders.

The aims of the RHINE II study were:

1. To assess the incidence and remission rate of asthma and allergic rhinitis and to determine risk factors in a representative Nordic population sample.
2. To assess the influence of occupational and home related environmental exposure on the development of asthma and allergic rhinitis in Northern Europe.
3. To investigate the association between the menstrual cycle and asthmatic symptoms in women.
4. To assess the incidence and remission of sleep disturbances and determine risk factors including atopy and asthma.