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Anxiety is more common in children with asthma
journal contribution
posted on 2010-08-01, 00:00 authored by Peter VuillerminPeter Vuillermin, Sharon Brennan-OlsenSharon Brennan-Olsen, C Robertson, J Carlin, M Prior, B Jenner, M SouthObjective There are a variety of reasons why there may be an association between asthma and anxiety in children. Research into the relation between asthma and anxiety has been limited by the sole use of parent-reported or self-reported asthma symptoms to define asthma status. The objective of this study was to determine if children with physician-defined asthma are more likely to suffer anxiety than children without asthma.
Design A population-based, cross-sectional assessment, of self-reported anxiety symptoms.
Setting and participants Children aged 5–13 years from Barwon region of Victoria, Australia. Asthma status was determined by review with a paediatrician. Controls were a sample of children without asthma symptoms (matched for age, gender and school).
Outcome measure The Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) written questionnaire. The authors compared the mean SCAS score, and the proportion of children with an SCAS score in the clinical range, between the groups.
Results Questionnaires were issued to 205 children with asthma (158 returned, response rate 77%), and 410 controls (319 returned, response rate 78%). The SCAS scores were higher in asthmatics than controls (p<0.001); and were more likely to be in the clinical range (OR=2.5, 95% CI 1.1 to 5.8, p=0.036). There was no evidence that these associations could be explained by known confounding factors.
Conclusions Children with asthma are substantially more likely to suffer anxiety than children without asthma. Future studies are required to determine the sequence of events that leads to this comorbidity, and to test strategies to prevent and treat anxiety among children with asthma.
Design A population-based, cross-sectional assessment, of self-reported anxiety symptoms.
Setting and participants Children aged 5–13 years from Barwon region of Victoria, Australia. Asthma status was determined by review with a paediatrician. Controls were a sample of children without asthma symptoms (matched for age, gender and school).
Outcome measure The Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) written questionnaire. The authors compared the mean SCAS score, and the proportion of children with an SCAS score in the clinical range, between the groups.
Results Questionnaires were issued to 205 children with asthma (158 returned, response rate 77%), and 410 controls (319 returned, response rate 78%). The SCAS scores were higher in asthmatics than controls (p<0.001); and were more likely to be in the clinical range (OR=2.5, 95% CI 1.1 to 5.8, p=0.036). There was no evidence that these associations could be explained by known confounding factors.
Conclusions Children with asthma are substantially more likely to suffer anxiety than children without asthma. Future studies are required to determine the sequence of events that leads to this comorbidity, and to test strategies to prevent and treat anxiety among children with asthma.
History
Journal
Archives of disease in childhoodVolume
95Issue
8Pagination
624 - 629Publisher
BMJ GroupLocation
London, EnglandPublisher DOI
ISSN
0003-9888eISSN
1468-2044Language
engPublication classification
C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalUsage metrics
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No categories selectedKeywords
absenteeismadolescentanti-asthmatic agentsanxietyasthmachildpreschool childcross-sectional studieshospital emergency servicehospitalizationpsychiatric status rating scalesVictoriaScience & TechnologyLife Sciences & BiomedicinePediatricsPULMONARY-FUNCTIONDISORDERSSYMPTOMSPREVALENCESMOKINGWHEEZERISKFEAR
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