Around 20% of people with allergies have missed work as a result, while 35% feel that their allergies affect their mood, a new survey has found.

According to the findings, 40% of Irish adults suffer from some sort of allergy, with hay fever the most common one, followed by allergies to dust and food.

Half of those with allergies describe their symptoms as moderate, but around 10% experience severe symptoms and 2% have taken more than 20 days off work as a result.

Most of those who miss work due to allergies are under the age of 35.

Some 35% have sleep problems as a result of their allergies, 35% believe allergies affect their mood and 17% feel that allergies prevent them from socialising and eating out. Around 10% feel that their travel plans are restricted as a result.

However, the survey of 1,000 adults also noted that one in four does not take any medication to treat their allergies. Furthermore, among those who do take medication, there is a lot of confusion, with most saying they do not know what to take and a small number claiming that they have already tried everything.

Meanwhile, the survey also found that allergies affect pet ownership, with around 40% of those affected choosing not to have pets. However among these, one-third would like to have a pet but feel their allergies are too severe.

The survey was carried out by Ignite Research on behalf of Scope Healthcare.