The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine published a new study in the first September issue according to which asthma in children can be directly linked to sexual and physical abuse. Children without these problems do not suffer from this condition.
According to a study conducted in Puerto Rico among urban children, it was found that children who were undergoing the stress of sexual and physical abuse were twice as prone to asthma attacks as compared to their contemporaries who led a normal life.
Sexual abuse and physical abuse follows only maternal asthma in being a major risk factor according to an American Thoracic Society release. This includes socioeconomic status indicators and paternal asthma.
Juan C.Celedon, M.D., Dr.P.H who is one of the principal investigators from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston says there is a clear link between diseases including asthma and stress resulting from violence and abuse. He also says it is common knowledge that children a large number of children in Puerto Rica suffer from asthma which can be linked to this cause.
Research was conducted between the years 2001 and 2003 with parent child pairs numbering 1,353. Most of these participants, in fact almost ninety percent of them were re surveyed after two years for signs of asthma, any other disease, violence and stress. This comprehensive study showed that children who underwent abuse were affected by asthma and other ailments more than those who did not.