The psychosocial environment associated with childhood asthma in a primary care unit. Preliminary report

Background: Asthma is related to psychosocial factors. Objective: To evaluate the associations between the level of asthma control in children with psychosocial factors such as depression, state anxiety, trait anxiety and family dynamics. Method: Cross-sectional study in a family medicine unit in Mexico with 43 patients with asthma from 8 to 16 years of age, whose degree of asthma control, level of state anxiety and trait anxiety, level of depression and perception of family functioning by the mother were determined. Results: A relation was found between degree of asthma control and state anxiety ( χ2 =14.098; p = 0.003). Roles ( χ2 = 12.88; p = 0.045) and communication ( χ2 = 14.48; p = 0.025) were more affected in families with children with high levels of state anxiety than in those with lower levels of state anxiety. In families with children between 12 and 16 years of age, there was an association among the child’s level of depression and the perception of family functioning by the mother ( χ2 = 13.3; p = 0.038); however, this association was not found in families of children between 8 and 11 years of age ( χ2 = 7.606; p = 0.268). Conclusions: An association was found between state anxiety and the level of asthma control. No relation was found between level of asthma control and the depression and trait anxiety variables.