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Atopic conditions and mental health problems: a 3-year follow-up study

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that atopic conditions at 15/16 years of age affect both internalized and externalized mental health problems 3 years later. Combined school and postal survey was conducted in urban and rural settings. A total of 3,674 adolescents (70.1% response rate) were followed at two time points and interviewed with similar questionnaires at baseline and follow-up. Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-10) was used to assess internalized problems, and two subscales (conduct problems and hyperactivity) from the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire to measure externalized mental health problems. The atopic conditions investigated were asthma, hay fever and eczema by asking the adolescents whether these conditions were present or not. There was an increase in the prevalence of internalized mental health problems from about 17–25% and a decrease in externalized mental health problems and number of atopic conditions in the follow-up period. Of the atopic conditions, hay fever was most prevalent with about 34% at 15 years of age and 20% at 18. The asthma prevalence was at 10 and 5% and eczema at 25 and 10%, respectively. Internalized mental health problems among girls were significantly associated with atopic conditions 3 years earlier, also after controlling for confounding variables. To live with atopic conditions seem to affect the mood and level of anxiety among adolescent girls. This should be kept in mind by health professionals treating young girls with atopic conditions.

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Acknowledgments

The data collection for both the baseline and follow-up study was carried out and funded by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and the University of Oslo. In addition, the Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway, contributed to the funding of the follow-up study, and the Municipality of Oslo to the baseline study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Psychiatry, University of Oslo, Box 1130, Blindern, 01318, Oslo, Norway

    Lars Lien

  2. Department of Research, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Brumunddal, Norway

    Lars Lien

  3. Institute of General Practice and Community Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Kristian Green & Espen Bjertness

  4. Department of Biostatistics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Magne Thoresen

  5. Tibet University Medical College, Lhasa, Tibet, China

    Espen Bjertness

Authors
  1. Lars Lien
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  2. Kristian Green
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  3. Magne Thoresen
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  4. Espen Bjertness
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Correspondence to Lars Lien.

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Lien, L., Green, K., Thoresen, M. et al. Atopic conditions and mental health problems: a 3-year follow-up study. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 19, 705–713 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-010-0106-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-010-0106-8

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