Self-reported asthma diagnosis and mental health: Findings from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys. (January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Oh, Hans; Stickley, Andrew; Singh, Fiza; Koyanagi, Ai
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 271(2019)
• Page Start: 721
• Page End: 725
• Publication Date: 2019-01
• Subjects: Asthma -- Depression -- Anxiety -- Substance use -- Alcohol use -- Race; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.12.046
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-1781

Abstract

Highlights: Asthma was associated with greater risk for all mood disorders, one type of anxiety disorder (generalized anxiety disorder), alcohol use disorder (specifically alcohol abuse), but not total eating disorders (though, asthma was associated with greater risk for binge eating disorder, and lower risk for bulimia). Asthma was not significantly associated with substance use disorders. The strength and the significance of these associations appeared to vary depending on the specific psychiatric disorder and the racial group being examined. Among Whites, asthma was only associated with alcohol use disorders (alcohol abuse), but not with any other psychiatric disorders. Among Latinos, asthma was associated with total mood disorders (major depressive disorder), total anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, ptsd, social phobia), and total alcohol use disorders, but not with substance use disorders or eating disorders. Among Blacks, asthma was significantly associated with total mood disorders (major depressive disorder, dysthymia), total anxiety disorders (panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder), but not associated with substance use disorders, alcohol use disorders, or total eating disorders (except for a negative association with bulimia). Among Asians, asthma was not significantly associated with any psychiatric disorders. Abstract: Historically, asthma has had a mixed association with mental health. More research is needed to examine the associations between asthma and specific psychiatric disorders, and whether these associations hold true across racial groups in the general population of the United States. Using the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys, we examined the associations between lifetime asthma and specific DSM-IV psychiatric disorders, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and smoking status. We found that when looking at the entire sample, self-reported diagnosis of asthma was associated with greater odds of reporting mood disorders (AOR: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.05–1.74). Asthma was not significantly associated with total anxiety disorders (AOR 1.25; 95% CI: 0.98–1.60), though it was specifically associated with generalized anxiety disorder. Asthma was associated with greater odds of having alcohol use disorders (AOR: 1.71; 95% CI: 1.24–2.37), but was not associated with total eating disorders (AOR:1.36; 95% CI: 1.17–2.51) (though it was significantly associated with higher odds for binge eating disorder, but lower odds of reporting bulimia). The strength and the significance of the associations between asthma and psychiatric disorders varied when stratified by race, underscoring the importance of examining race as a potential explanation for the mixed findings observed previously in the literature.