The role of caregiver major depression in the relationship between anxiety disorders and asthma attacks in island Puerto Rican youth and young adults

J Nerv Ment Dis. 2011 May;199(5):313-8. doi: 10.1097/NMD.0b013e3182174e84.

Abstract

The goal of this study was to assess whether the association between asthma attacks and anxiety disorders in youth/young adults is reduced after adjusting for the caregivers' psychiatric disorders. An island-wide probability sample of 641 households in Puerto Rico with youth/young adults between ages 10 and 25 years participated along with their caregivers. The Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children and the Composite International Diagnostic Interview were conducted to assess anxiety and depressive disorders. Youth/young adults with an anxiety disorder were more likely to have a lifetime history of asthma attacks versus youth/young adults without an anxiety disorder. Caregivers of participants with asthma attacks were more likely to have major depression than did the caregivers of participants without asthma attacks. The association between asthma attacks and anxiety disorders in youth was no longer significant after adjustment for caregiver major depression. It is important to consider the role of caregiver depression in asthma-anxiety comorbidity in youth/young adults.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anxiety Disorders / epidemiology
  • Anxiety Disorders / etiology
  • Anxiety Disorders / psychology*
  • Asthma / epidemiology
  • Asthma / etiology
  • Asthma / psychology*
  • Caregivers / psychology*
  • Caregivers / statistics & numerical data
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Comorbidity
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / epidemiology
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / etiology
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / psychology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Odds Ratio
  • Puerto Rico / epidemiology
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Young Adult