In the October 2019 edition of Pediatrics, researchers examine the relation between anxiety and depression and asthma-related emergency department use. The study utilized the information of 65,342 “patients aged 6 to 21 years with asthma.” They found that 24.7% of the patients also “had a diagnosis of anxiety, depression, or both.” After controlling for age, sex, insurance type, and chronic illness, researchers found there was “17.1 ED visits per 100 child-years” for the entire cohort. Those with anxiety had a rate of 18.9, depression had a rate of 21.7, and both had a rate of 27.6. The researchers concluded “children with asthma and anxiety or depression alone, or comorbid anxiety and depression, have higher rates of asthma-related ED use compared with those without either diagnosis.
To view the article’s abstract, click here.