Higher sickness absence among young adults with asthma
Published: May 14, 2024
Previous studies have demonstrated that asthma in adolescents and young adults can have negative consequences on night sleep, quality of life, and school performance. However, there is limited knowledge about how asthma affects sickness absence, and which factors that could contribute to reduced sickness absence in this age group. Moreover, the societal costs associated with sickness absence among young adults with asthma are largely unknown.
In a prospective cohort study, recently published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, Ekström et al. examined how asthma and different asthma phenotypes affect sickness absence among young adults. An additional aim was to investigate potential modifying lifestyle factors for this association. The study included approximately 2,400 participants from the population-based birth cohort study BAMSE who had participated in a follow-up at approximately 24 years of age in 2016-2019. The follow-up included assessment of asthma symptoms, medication, and general health, as well as measurements of allergic sensitization, weight, and height for the majority of the participants. The population was subsequently followed-up in national registers in the years 2020-2021, where all cases of sickness absence longer than fourteen days where registered.
The results showed that asthma was linked to increased sickness absence in these young adults (15% of those with asthma compared to 9% among those without asthma had at least one episode of sickness absence for more than fourteen days). Sickness absence was highest among young adults with uncontrolled asthma, persistent asthma, and among those with asthma in combination with rhinitis. A higher sickness absence was also observed among those with asthma and obesity. The researchers also estimated the excess productivity losses related to asthma and found that the increased costs were particularly high for uncontrolled asthma. The study therefore highlights the importance of support for self-care and control among patients with asthma to reduce the negative consequences of the disease, both for the individual and the society. Treating concurrent allergic symptoms and reducing the prevalence of obesity can also potentially contribute to lower sickness absence in young people with asthma.
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice is an official journal of the AAAAI, focusing on practical information for the practicing clinician.
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