The relation of early experienced negative life events and current itch. A longitudinal study among adolescents in Oslo, Norway.
OBJECTIVE
Negative life events have impact on mental health and skin diseases among adults. Itch is a common, disabling skin symptom. The aim was to describe negative life events associated with current itch and to analyze the impact of number of negative life events on symptoms of itch, controlling for possible confounders.


METHODS
This school-based longitudinal survey was conducted among 15 and 18 years old high-school students in Oslo, Norway. From a baseline cohort of 3811 students, 2489 (65%) participants were followed-up after three years later. They completed questionnaires at baseline and follow-up. Current itch was measured with a validated instrument asking for symptoms on a four point Likert scale at follow-up.


RESULTS
More girls than boys reported itch. There were no gender differences in number of negative life events. Death among close relative/friend was the most common negative life event among boys and girls. All negative life experiences before 15 years of age were statistically significantly associated with itch, but after 15 years only half of the negative life events were associated with itch. The bivariate association between number of negative life events and itch was statistically significant, and only when adjusting for mental distress at baseline there was a considerable drop in the Odds Ratio.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a clear association between number of negative life events at baseline and itch at follow-up three years later among adolescents. It is therefore important to discuss possible adverse experiences with adolescents presenting with severe symptoms of itch.
Division mental health and addiction, University of Oslo, Norway.
Lars
L
Lien
Jon Anders
JA
Halvorsen
Ole Rikard
OR
Haavet
Florence
F
Dalgard
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D054525:Minority Health; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011537:Pruritus / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D011603:Psychophysiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires