Findings suggest that among children with and without asthma from urban environments, social functioning is related to both depression and anxiety. Specifically, children with higher levels of anxiety and/or depression were more likely to have poorer interpersonal relations with others, feeling as though other children do not like them, do not respect them, and/or do not want to play with them. They also may experience more stress associated with social interactions and have fewer friends than children without internalizing problems. "The results of this study reinforce the importance of appropriate mental health training for nurses and other health care providers who come into contact with children in urban community health centers," says the study's lead author, Jennifer Bender Berz.
As many as 9 million children in the United States have been diagnosed with asthma, making it one of the most common chronic illnesses among children.
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Contact: Sharon Agsalda
medicalnews@bos.blackwellpublishing.net
781-388-8507
Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
26-Oct-2005