Asthma symptoms associated with depression and lower quality of life: a population survey.
OBJECTIVE
To identify any association between asthma and depression and quality of life.


METHODS
A face-to-face Health Omnibus Survey of a random and representative sample of the South Australian population in August 1998.


METHODS
3010 randomly selected participants aged 15 years and over.


METHODS
Prevalence of doctor-diagnosed asthma, and scores for depression (measured by PRIME-MD instrument) and quality of life (measured by SF-36) in affected participants.


RESULTS
The prevalence of asthma was 9.9%. The prevalence of major depression was significantly higher for those who experienced dyspnoea, wakening at night with asthma, and morning symptoms of asthma. Quality-of-life scores were also lower for the same groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Depression is a serious but potentially remediable comorbidity with asthma that may affect appropriate diagnosis and outcome.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Adelaide, SA. robert.goldney@adelaide.edu.au
Robert D
RD
Goldney
Richard
R
Ruffin
Laura J
LJ
Fisher
David H
DH
Wilson
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology