The association between asthma and depression in Korean adult : An analysis of the fifth korea national health and nutrition examination survey (2010-2012)

Purpose: Asthma is a one of the most common allergic disease and depression is an important comorbidity in asthma. However, it is little known about the different prevalence of depression in Korean adult asthmatics than normal adults. This study was performed to find association between asthma and depression and investigate the characteristics in Korean adult asthmatics with depression. 

Methods: Data were acquired from 18,066 men and women, aged older than 19 years who participated in the Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES), which was conducted from 2010 to 2012. The presence of asthma was based on self-reported physician diagnosis of asthma in the Health Interview Surveys. 

Results: The prevalence of asthma was 3.2 % and depression was 4.2 %. In univariated analysis, adults with asthma were older, single, unemployed, low educated, lower monthly family income, lower household members, obese (p<0.05) but sex, residence area and smoking status were not associated with the presence of asthma. The prevalence of hypertension and depression were higher in asthmatics (p<0.05), while diabetes mellitus was not associated with asthma. After adjustment for age, marital status, number of household members, monthly family income, body mass index, hypertension, we found unemployment, lower educated status, depression were associated with higher prevalence of asthma (p<0.01). Depression was associated with female, unemployment but not associated with lung function in asthmatics.

Conclusion: The present study showed that depression was an important risk factor of the prevalence of asthma in Korean adult. These results warrant future studies to explore the mechanisms responsible for the association between depression and asthma.