CoChat
Sign Up
Cited by 164Asthma and respiratory diseasesChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) ResearchPsychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments

Asthma and depression: a pragmatic review of the literature and recommendations for future research.

Open access
Melissa Opolski, Ian G Wilson·2005·Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health
DOI 10.1186/1745-0179-1-18PMC PMC1253523
Open this paper in CoChat — free accountOpen PDF

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although the association between asthma and psychosocial factors has long been recognised, it is only in the last decade that the impact of coexisting asthma and depression has become the focus of considerable research interest. However, the findings so far have been confusing and often contradictory. This paper sets out a methodical review and appraisal of the literature to date, including suggestions for future research. METHOD: PubMed and PsycINFO databases were used to search for English-language articles relating to asthma and depression research. The resulting articles were then reviewed and summarised, creating a report that was used to develop research recommendations. RESULTS: The main findings from this review included: (a) results are mixed as to whether persons with asthma are more likely to be depressed than those without asthma; (b) asthma and depression may have an 'additive' adverse effect on the normal asthma-related quality of life reductions; (c) subjective measures of asthma severity may be more strongly related to depression than objective measures; (d) specific asthma symptoms appear to be linked to depression; (e) sadness and depression can produce respiratory effects consistent with asthma exacerbations; (f) depression appears to be negatively related to asthma treatment compliance; (g) corticosteroid use in asthma treatment has been associated with depression, though it is unclear how common this problem is in real life; (h) interventions that address the physical, psychological, and social consequences of asthma are likely to lead to the most successful treatment outcomes; (i) treating the depression of individuals with asthma is likely to minimise the negative effects of the coexistence; and (j) a number of common methodological problems were observed in the literature. RECOMMENDATIONS: There is a large amount of research yet to be undertaken to clarify issues around asthma and depression, with the overdue next step being to design integrated treatment approaches, and carry out large-scale prospective studies to determine the impact of using such approaches to treat individuals with depression and asthma. Such studies will be the only way in which some fundamental questions about the development and coexistence of these two conditions will be answered.

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1186/1745-0179-1-18

Cites

2 of 2 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Among people with asthma, higher anxiety and depression are linked to several worse asthma outcomes.

    “Elevated anxiety and depression among those with asthma (Goodwin et al., 2010; Opolski & Wilson, 2005) is associated with a number of negative asthma-related outcomes (Afari, Schmaling, Barnhart & Buchwald, 2001; Deshmukh et al., 2008; Eisner, Katz, Lactao, & Irbarren, 2005; Kullowatz et al., 2007).”

    From Evaluating the role of mindfulness in terms of asthma-related outcomes and depression and anxiety symptoms among individuals with asthma. (2019) · cites this paper as Opolski & Wilson, 2005

    The citation to Opolski and Wilson is attached to the statement that anxiety and depression are elevated among people with asthma; the later outcome claim has separate citations. In “Are people with asthma more likely to be depressed?” (page unavailable), the review says most authors suggest increased depression prevalence, while noting mixed findings. Our copy does not establish elevated anxiety among people with asthma. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 61

  1. Vila G Nollet-Clemencon C de Blic J Mouren-Simeoni MC Scheinmann P Prevalence of DSM IV anxiety and affective disorders in a pediatric population of asthmatic children and adolescents J Affect Disord 2000 58 223 231 10.1016/S0165-0327(99)00110-X 10802131 · DOI
  2. Rubin NJ Severe asthma and depression Arch Fam Med 1993 2 433 440 10.1001/archfami.2.4.433 8130924 · DOI
  3. Verhaak PF Heijmans MJ Peters L Rijken M Chronic disease and mental disorder Soc Sci Med 2005 60 789 797 10.1016/j.socscimed.2004.06.012 15571896 · DOI · Paper page
  4. Thompson WL Thompson TL Treating depression in asthmatic patients Psychosomatics 1984 25 809 812 6505127
  5. Kovacs M Stauder A Szedmak S Severity of allergic complaints: the importance of depressed mood J Psychosom Res 2003 54 549 557 10.1016/S0022-3999(02)00477-4 12781309 · DOI
  6. Rosner F Moses Maimonides' treatise on asthma Thorax 1981 36 245 251 7025335 PMC471486
  7. Moran MG Stoudemire A Pulmonary and rheumatologic diseases. Psychological factors affecting medical conditions 1995 Washington, D.C., American Psychiatric Press. 141 151
  8. Cluley S Cochrane GM Psychological disorder in asthma is associated with poor control and poor adherence to inhaled steroids Respir Med 2001 95 37 39 10.1053/rmed.2000.0968 11207015 · DOI · Paper page
  9. Harrison BD Psychosocial aspects of asthma in adults Thorax 1998 53 519 525 9713455 PMC1745255
  10. Roberts C Mayer JD Henderson WRJ Asthma deaths in Washington State, 1980-1989: geographic and demographic distributions Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 1996 76 20 26 8564624
  11. Ford ES Mannino DM Homa DM Gwynn C Redd SC Moriarty DG Mokdad AH Self-reported asthma and health-related quality of life: findings from the behavioral risk factor surveillance system Chest 2003 123 119 127 10.1378/chest.123.1.119 12527612 · DOI
  12. Juniper EF Effect of asthma on quality of life Can Respir J 1998 5 Suppl A 77A 84A 9753523
  13. Bonala SB Pina D Silverman BA Amara S Bassett CW Schneider AT Asthma severity, psychiatric morbidity, and quality of life: correlation with inhaled corticosteroid dose. Journal of Asthma 2003 40 691 699 10.1081/JAS-120023491 14580001 · DOI
  14. Stewart AL Greenfield S Hays RD Wells K Rogers WH Berry SD McGlynn EA Ware JEJ Functional status and well-being of patients with chronic conditions. Results from the Medical Outcomes Study Jama 1989 262 907 913 10.1001/jama.262.7.907 2754790 · DOI
  15. Afari N Schmaling KB Barnhart S Buchwald D Psychiatric comorbidity and functional status in adult patients with asthma. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings 2001 8 245 252 10.1023/A:1011912712262 · DOI · Paper page
  16. Sherwood Brown E Khan DA Nejtek VA Rajan Thomas N Mahadi SF Depressive symptoms and functioning in asthmatic patients. Primary Care Psychiatry 2000 6 155 161 10.1185/135525700543389 · DOI
  17. Anderson KL The effect of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on quality of life Res Nurs Health 1995 18 547 556 7480855
  18. Lyons RA Lo SV Littlepage BN Comparative health status of patients with 11 common illnesses in Wales J Epidemiol Community Health 1994 48 388 390 7964339 PMC1059989
  19. Vamos M Kolbe J Psychological factors in severe chronic asthma Aust N Z J Psychiatry 1999 33 538 544 10.1046/j.1440-1614.1999.00591.x 10483849 · DOI
  20. Janson C Bjornsson E Hetta J Boman G Anxiety and depression in relation to respiratory symptoms and asthma Am J Respir Crit Care Med 1994 149 930 934 8143058
  21. Rimington LD Davies DH Lowe D Pearson MG Relationship between anxiety, depression, and morbidity in adult asthmatic patients. Thorax 2001 56 266 271 10.1136/thorax.56.4.266 11254816 PMC1746028 · DOI
  22. Chaney JM Mullins LL Uretsky DL Pace TM Werden D Hartman VL An experimental examination of learned helplessness in older adolescents and young adults with long-standing asthma J Pediatr Psychol 1999 24 259 270 10.1093/jpepsy/24.3.259 10379141 · DOI
  23. Badoux A Levy DA Psychologic symptoms in asthma and chronic urticaria Ann Allergy 1994 72 229 234 8129215
  24. Centanni S Di Marco F Castagna F Boveri B Casanova F Piazzini A Psychological issues in the treatment of asthmatic patients Respir Med 2000 94 742 749 10.1053/rmed.1999.0766 10955748 · DOI
  25. Kessler RC McGonagle KA Zhao S Nelson CB Hughes M Eshleman S Wittchen HU Kendler KS Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders in the United States. Results from the National Comorbidity Survey Arch Gen Psychiatry 1994 51 8 19 8279933
  26. Gillaspy SR Hoff AL Mullins LL Van Pelt JC Chaney JM Psychological distress in high-risk youth with asthma J Pediatr Psychol 2002 27 363 371 10.1093/jpepsy/27.4.363 11986359 · DOI
  27. Mrazek DA Psychiatric complications of pediatric asthma Ann Allergy 1992 69 285 290 1416262
  28. Fitzpatrick MF Engleman H Whyte KF Deary IJ Shapiro CM Douglas NJ Morbidity in nocturnal asthma: sleep quality and daytime cognitive performance Thorax 1991 46 569 573 1926025 PMC463276
  29. Leigh D Marley E A psychiatric assessment of adult asthmatics: a statistical study J Psychosom Res 1956 1 128 136 10.1016/0022-3999(56)90014-9 13346680 · DOI
  30. Adams RJ Wilson DH Taylor AW Daly A Tursan d'Espaignet E Dal Grande E Ruffin RE Psychological factors and asthma quality of life: a population based study Thorax 2004 59 930 935 10.1136/thx.2003.010256 15516466 PMC1746862 · DOI · Paper page
  31. Janson-Bjerklie S Ferketich S Benner P Becker G Clinical markers of asthma severity and risk: importance of subjective as well as objective factors Heart Lung 1992 21 265 272 1592618
  32. Goldney RD Ruffin R Fisher LJ Wilson DH Asthma symptoms associated with depression and lower quality of life: a population survey Med J Aust 2003 178 437 441 12720509
  33. Ritz T Steptoe A Emotion and pulmonary function in asthma: reactivity in the field and relationship with laboratory induction of emotion Psychosom Med 2000 62 808 815 11139001
  34. Lehrer PM Feldman J Giardino N Song HS Schmaling K Psychological aspects of asthma J Consult Clin Psychol 2002 70 691 711 10.1037//0022-006X.70.3.691 12090377 · DOI
  35. Lehrer PM Isenberg S Hochron SM Asthma and emotion: a review J Asthma 1993 30 5 21 8428858
  36. Ritz T Claussen C Dahme B Experimentally induced emotions, facial muscle activity, and respiratory resistance in asthmatic and non-asthmatic individuals Br J Med Psychol 2001 74 167 182 10.1348/000711201160894 11453169 · DOI
  37. Krommydas GC Gourgoulianis KI Angelopoulos NV Kotrotsiou E Raftopoulos V Molyvdas PA Depression and pulmonary function in outpatients with asthma Respir Med 2004 98 220 224 10.1016/j.rmed.2003.09.018 15002757 · DOI
  38. Miller BD Wood BL Influence of specific emotional states on autonomic reactivity and pulmonary function in asthmatic children J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1997 36 669 677 10.1097/00004583-199705000-00018 9136502 · DOI
  39. Main J Moss-Morris R Booth R Kaptein AA Kolbe J The use of reliever medication in asthma: the role of negative mood and symptom reports. Journal of Asthma 2003 40 357 365 10.1081/JAS-120018635 12870831 · DOI
  40. Horn CR Clark TJ Cochrane GM Compliance with inhaled therapy and morbidity from asthma Respir Med 1990 84 67 70 2371425
  41. Sears MR Rea HH Beaglehole R Gillies AJ Holst PE O'Donnell TV Rothwell RP Sutherland DC Asthma mortality in New Zealand: a two year national study N Z Med J 1985 98 271 275 2859567
  42. British Thoracic Association Death from asthma in two regions of England. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1982 285 1251 1255 6812831 PMC1499823
  43. DiMatteo MR Lepper HS Croghan TW Depression is a risk factor for noncompliance with medical treatment: meta analysis of the effects of anxiety and depression on patient adherence. Arch Intern Med 2000 160 2101 2107 10.1001/archinte.160.14.2101 10904452 · DOI · Paper page
  44. Bosley CM Fosbury JA Cochrane GM The psychological factors associated with poor compliance with treatment in asthma Eur Respir J 1995 8 899 904 7589375
  45. DiMatteo MR Enhancing patient adherence to medical recommendations Jama 1994 271 79, 83 10.1001/jama.271.1.79 8258895 · DOI
  46. Tarbuck AF Paykel ES Effects of major depression on the cognitive function of younger and older subjects Psychol Med 1995 25 285 295 7675916
  47. Willner P Cognitive functioning in depression: a review of theory and research Psychol Med 1984 14 807 823 6545415
  48. Sweeney JA Wetzler S Stokes P Kocsis J Cognitive functioning in depression J Clin Psychol 1989 45 836 842 2613891
  49. O'Byrne PM Pedersen S Measuring efficacy and safety of different inhaled corticosteroid preparations J Allergy Clin Immunol 1998 102 879 886 9847425
  50. Toogood JH Side effects of inhaled corticosteroids J Allergy Clin Immunol 1998 102 705 713 9819285
  51. Patten SB Lavorato DH Medication use and major depressive syndrome in a community population. Comprehensive Psychiatry 2001 42 124 131 10.1053/comp.2001.21218 11244148 · DOI
  52. Patten SB Exogenous corticosteroids and major depression in the general population J Psychosom Res 2000 49 447 449 10.1016/S0022-3999(00)00187-2 11182439 · DOI
  53. Koenig HG Depression in the medically ill: a common and serious disorder Int J Psychiatry Med 2000 30 295 297 10.2190/P57Y-0PT5-FRB8-7QK7 11308033 · DOI
  54. Fleming SL Pagliari C Churchill R Shuldham CM McKean M Psychotherapeutic interventions for adults with asthma Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2004 CD002982 14974000
  55. Coffman K Psychiatric issues in pulmonary disease Psychiatr Clin North Am 2002 25 89 127 10.1016/S0193-953X(03)00054-6 11912946 · DOI
  56. Galil N Depression and asthma in children Curr Opin Pediatr 2000 12 331 335 10.1097/00008480-200008000-00008 10943812 · DOI
  57. Jackson JL DeZee K Berbano E Can treating depression improve disease outcomes? Annals of Internal Medicine 2004 140 1054 1056 15197024
  58. Grover N Kumaraiah V Prasadrao PS D'Souza G Cognitive behavioural intervention in bronchial asthma J Assoc Physicians India 2002 50 896 900 12126343
  59. Lehrer PM Sargunaraj D Hochron S Psychological approaches to the treatment of asthma J Consult Clin Psychol 1992 60 639 643 10.1037/0022-006X.60.4.639 1506512 · DOI
  60. Cassem EH Depression and anxiety secondary to medical illness Psychiatr Clin North Am 1990 13 597 612 2281008
  61. Miller BD Depression and asthma: a potentially lethal mixture J Allergy Clin Immunol 1987 80 481 486 10.1016/0091-6749(87)90080-7 3624703 · DOI

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Opolski, M., & Wilson, I. G.
Affiliations
The University of Adelaide (AU)
Corresponding author
Ian G Wilson
ORCID
Ian G Wilson
Venue
Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health
Publisher
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Published
2005
Volume
1
Issue
1
Pages
18
ISSN
1745-0179 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1186/1745-0179-1-18
PMC
PMC1253523
OpenAlex
W2121675303
Cited by
164
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 9
FWCI
3.21
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Online (University of Wollongong) (submittedVersion)
  • Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion)
  • Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Asthma and respiratory diseases
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
Keywords
asthma, depression, comorbidities, quality of life, asthma severity, asthma exacerbations, medication adherence, corticosteroids, integrated treatment, psychosocial factors

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review