ASSOCIATION OF STRESS AND ANXIETY WITH ASTHMA IN TEENAGERS AND ADULTS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the association of stress and anxiety with asthma and teenagers. Asthma is a long-lasting inflammatory respiratory disorder that distresses the millions of individuals worldwide and is acknowledged to effect both physical and psychological wellbeing. Collectively the indication proposes that persons with asthma experience advanced levels of stress and anxiety due to random symptoms, such that: daily routine limitations, and fear of aggravations. This study was providing important understandings into the psychological burden of asthma, importance, the need for combined care methods that report both respiratory and mental health needs. Stress and anxiety-focused interventions in asthma clinics can enhance psychological care, improving patient’s quality of life.

 To determine association of stress and anxiety with asthma in teenagers and adults. A crosssectional analytical study was be conducted among adults aged >12 above with physiciandiagnosed asthma. Data was be composed by using authorized tools, together with the Asthma Control Test (ACT), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7). Sample size was be resolute by using Cochran’s formula with an occurrence approximation of 4.3% and a margin of error 3–5%. Statistical analysis was including descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and worsening models to recognize analysts of stress and anxiety. The study is expected in the direction of expose a high frequency of stress and anxiety between asthma patients, with suggestively higher psychological distress experimental in individuals with unwell controlled to severe asthma which may be results in psychological issues among them. A positive association is predicted between rate of recurrence of asthma attacks and elevated stress and anxiety evaluating scores.

The findings showed statistically significant increases in the rate of asthma exacerbations in severe stress and anxiety and other psychological issues. Simple linear regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of stress and anxiety. ACT score was found to be a significant predictor of PSS-10 stress scores, explaining 37% of the variance (R² = 0.37, β = -0.61, p < 0.001). Similarly, ACT significantly predicted GAD-7 anxiety scores, accounting for 32% of the variance (R² = 0.32, β = -0.57, p < 0.001). Specifically, each 1-point decrease in ACT score was associated with an increase of 1.45 points in stress and 1.12 points in anxiety. These findings confirm that asthma control plays a crucial role in determining psychological outcomes. The results highlight the importance of incorporating routine psychological screening using PSS-10 and GAD-7 in asthma management to address the interconnected nature of physical and mental health.  

A Spearman’s rank-order correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationships among asthma control (ACT), perceived stress (PSS-10), and anxiety (GAD-7) in a sample of 400 adolescents and adults diagnosed with asthma. The results indicated a strong negative correlation between ACT and PSS-10 (ρ = -0.61, p < 0.001) and between ACT and GAD-7 (ρ = -0.57, p < 0.001), suggesting that poorer asthma control is associated with elevated stress and anxiety levels. Furthermore, stress and anxiety were strongly positively correlated (ρ = 0.71, p < 0.001). Asthma attack frequency also demonstrated moderate positive correlations with stress (ρ = 0.48, p < 0.001) and anxiety (ρ = 0.45, p < 0.001). Comparative analysis using the Mann Whitney U test revealed that individuals with severe asthma (ACT < 0.001) and anxiety (mean = 18.23 vs 13.45, p < 0.001) than those with well-controlled asthma. The results indicate that the association of stress and anxiety are highly affecting the quality of life of teenagers and adults.