Publication Date

2024

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Mazurek, Kathryn

Degree Name

Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

Legacy Department

School of Interdisciplinary Health Professions

Abstract

Background

While unclear in older populations within the US, individuals with asthma are disproportionally affected by depression relative to those without asthma. This work explores the associations between asthma, depression, sociodemographic, and disease-related factors in a US population ≥ 65 years of age.

Methods

A pooled cross-sectional analysis of Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) data was utilized to determine the association between asthma and depression from 2018 to 2020. Depression was defined as a score of ≥ 10 from the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Disease-related variables were recorded if the subject met Medicare claims criteria for the calendar year. Multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and disease-related variables determined the odds of having asthma and depression. Complimentary adjusted regression models were developed to determine the association between prevalent asthma and gender, area deprivation index (ADI), or comorbidities and depression.

Results

From 2018-2020, 44,000 subjects were available; 12,936 were excluded for age and missing data. After exclusion, 31,064 subjects were available for analysis. The weighted prevalence of depression in subjects with asthma was 38.6% (p =.004). The primary effect model did not indicate a difference in the odds of depression regardless of asthma status (OR = 1.18, 95% CI [0.96-1.45]). Subjects with asthma and anxiety, cardiovascular disease (CVD), or diabetes were more likely to have concomitant depression (ORs: 1.11-1.30). Females with asthma had greater odds of reporting depression compared to males (OR = 1.09 95% CI [1.06-1.12]).

Conclusions

Of older adults in the US, asthma is not independently associated with a greater degree of depression relative to the same population without asthma.

Extent

138 pages

Language

en

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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Epidemiology Commons

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