Psychological distress in asthma and allergy: the Västerbotten Environmental Health Study

Abstract

With the aim to better understand the association between asthma/allergy and psychological distress, it was hypothesized that levels of stress, exhaustion, anxiety, depression, and health worries for environmental pollution would be higher in allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis than in non-allergic asthma and in referents without asthma or allergy. Taking part in the population-based Västerbotten Environmental Health Study (aged 18-79 years), 76 respondents reported a physician-based diagnosis of allergic asthma, 86 reported non-allergic asthma, 190 reported allergic rhinitis, and 46 reported atopic dermatitis as the only form of asthma/allergy. A group of 2876 respondents without an asthma/allergy diagnosis constituted as referents. The participants responded to the Perceived Stress Scale, the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Environmental Pollution subscale of the Modern Health Worries Scale. Levels of stress, exhaustion, and anxiety were higher in allergic asthma and atopic dermatitis than in non-allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis, and among referents, and there was a strong tendency of such group differences for depression and health worries. The results imply that stress reduction and treatment of negative affect may in certain cases be fruitful interventions in patients with atopy.

The relationship of modern health worries to non-specific physical symptoms and perceived environmental sensitivity: A study combining self-reported and general practice data

“…MHW seem to be particularly high among people with self-reported sensitivities [27][28][29], while some evidence supports their role as part of a cognitive-behavioral mechanism that leads to IEI and associated symptoms. Bailer et al [27] found that the association between worries and doctor consultations was explained by IEI-complaints, indicating that increased worries could constitute a risk factor for the development of environmental intolerances.…”

Nasal diseases and psychological distress

“…Also, in current trends, most researchers believe that there is a bidirectional causal relationship between AR and PD (Chida, Hamer, & Steptoe, 2008;Gelis, Prokopakis, Helidonis, & Velegrakis, 2007;Lind, Nordin, Palmquist, & Nordin, 2014). *Corresponding author.…”

“…There is an ongoing debate over the relationship of anxiety/depression with AR (Addolorato et al, 1999;Annesi-Maesano et al, 2006;Jernelöv et al, 2009;Lind et al, 2014;Runeson, Wahlstedt, & Norbäck, 2011;Tonelli et al, 2009). According to previous clinical studies, opinions could be classified as: (1) AR associated with both depression and anxiety; (2) Anxiety, but not depression; (3) Depression, but not anxiety; (4) Neither.…”

Rational choice of therapy of atopic dermatitis in children depending on inflammation severity

“…Таким образом, в самом названии заболевания отображается ведущая роль нервной системы в развитии кожных высыпа-ний. Роль стресса и расстройств нервной системы в развитии АтД не вызывает сомнения и сейчас [13]. Роль вегетативной нервной системы в развитии АтД подчеркивается многими авторами [14].…”