Analysis of the role of selected demographic and psychological variables (anxiety and depression) as risk factors of inadequate control of bronchial asthma

Objective: The aim of the study was to analyze selected potential demographic and psychological variables (anxiety and depression) as risk factors of inadequate control of bronchial asthma. Materials and method: The study consisted a group of 223 randomly selected asthma patients with varying degrees of asthma control. The study was designed as a diagnostic survey using the asthma control test (ACT), Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI), State- and Trait-Anxiety Inventory (STAI questionnaires X-1 and X-2), and the questionnaire for demographic data collection developed for the purposes of the presented study. Results: Inadequate control of asthma was significantly more frequent amongst females (p=0.008) who were rural inhabitants (p=0.020) and professionally active (p=0.000) patients diagnosed with any grade of depression with an aid of BDI (p=0.000). Patients with inadequate control of asthma were characterized by a significantly higher level of depression, compared to patients controlling this condition adequately (p=0.001). Conclusions: The female gender, living in a rural environment, professional activity, and even a slight degree of depression can promote inadequate control of asthma. Consequently, asthma patients with such characteristics should be provided with careful allergological surveillance. Since none of the abovementioned variables represents an independent risk factor of inadequate asthma control, it is not possible to classify asthma patients into risk groups on the basis of single parameter assessment. The risk of inadequate asthma control involves also individuals with a low severity of depression (more than 9 points on BDI), i.e. the patients who would not be diagnosed with even mild depression based on the existing criteria