In the Journal of Asthma a recent study examined the “impact of depressive symptoms on asthma outcomes and medication adherence among inner-city elderly patients with asthma.” The study consisted of 360 adults over the age of 60. Data was collected using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ), and Asthma Related Quality of Life (AQLQ), and from inpatient and outpatient visits. The authors concluded that, “in this cohort of elderly inner-city participants, depressive symptoms were associated with poorer asthma control and quality of life, as well as with lower rates of adherence to controller medications.”
