Psy-World

Maternal depression can worsen child's asthma.

Asthma in ethnic minority and inner-city children is common and a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality. Identifying the factors associated with asthma morbidity among inner-city ethnic minorities may allow a reduction of asthma disparities among children. Several studies have demonstrated an association between maternal depressive symptoms and increased child asthma morbidity. However, the directionality of this relationship remains unclear. Therefore a prospective cohort study examined the potential reciprocal relationship between maternal depressive symptoms and child asthma morbidity with a sample of inner-city African American children with asthma. Participants were recruited by weekly review of emergency department records and cross-lagged structural path analysis was used for data from interviews with 262 mothers of African American children with asthma. Children whose mothers had more depressive symptoms had more frequent asthma symptoms during the 6 months of the study and children whose mothers reported fewer depressive symptoms had less frequent asthma symptoms. The child's asthma severity did not predict later maternal depressive symptoms, however. These findings suggest that maternal depression is an independent risk factor for children's asthma severity. They should prompt pediatricians who treat children with asthma to pay close attention to their mother, screen and refer them for treatment if needed. This may not only improve the mother’s well-being, but may also decrease the child’s asthma morbidity. Otsuki M, Eakin MN, Arceneaux LL, Rand CS, Butz AM, Riekert KA (2009). Prospective Relationship between Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Asthma Morbidity among Inner-City African American Children. J Pediatr Psychol, Oct 22 (in press). Updated January 2010