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Asthma, life events and psychiatric disorders: a population-based study
Yanxia Lu1, Liang Feng, Leslie Lim
1Gerontological Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
|February 2, 2013
Summary
Negative life events significantly contribute to psychiatric disorders and reduced quality of life in adults with asthma. These events appear to mediate the link between asthma and mental health conditions more than other chronic illnesses.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry and Public Health
Background:
- Chronic physical conditions, including asthma, are linked to psychiatric symptoms.
- The role of negative life events in this association and its impact on quality of life (QOL) require further clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mediating role of negative life events in the association between asthma, other chronic physical conditions, and psychiatric disorders.
- To examine the impact of these factors on quality of life (QOL) in a representative adult population.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 2,847 Singaporean adults (aged 20-59).
- Participants categorized into asthma, other chronic physical conditions, or no chronic conditions.
- Assessed life events, psychiatric disorders (including major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder), and QOL.
Main Results:
- Asthma and other chronic conditions showed similar elevated odds of major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
- The asthma group reported significantly more negative life events compared to other groups.
- Life events significantly mediated the co-occurrence of psychiatric disorders and worse QOL in individuals with asthma.
Conclusions:
- Negative life events appear to mediate the relationship between asthma, psychiatric disorders, and functional impairment in adults.
- This mediation effect is more pronounced in asthma than in other chronic physical conditions.
- Longitudinal studies are recommended to confirm these findings.
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