Determinants of school performance in children with chronic asthma
L. B. Gutstadt, J. W. Gillette, D. A. Mrazek, J. T. Fukuhara, J. F. LaBrecque and R. C. Strunk
Department of Education, National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, St Louis, Mo.
We have documented performance on standardized academic achievement tests
for reading and mathematics in 99 children with moderately severe to severe
chronic asthma. Academic performance and intelligence test scores indicated
that, overall, the academic capabilities of the children with asthma were
average to above average. A stepwise regression analysis was used to
examine relationships between the dependent variables of reading and
mathematics and the independent variables of socioeconomic status, school
attendance, medical factors relating to asthma, age, and emotional and
behavioral problems of the children. Factors that were associated
significantly with low performance scores were low socioeconomic status,
older age, history of continuous oral steroid use (prednisone or methyl
prednisolone taken at least every other day for the year prior to
evaluation), and presence of emotional and behavioral problems. School
absenteeism, use of medical resources, oral steroid dosage, other
medications used to treat asthma, and pulmonary functions were not
associated with academic performance. Investigation of poor classroom
performance of a child with chronic asthma should include investigation of
the roles of socioeconomic status, oral steroid therapy, and emotional and
behavioral problems.
