Children affected by asthma are more likely to leave school at the age of 16 and drop out early from university
People who suffer from asthma from a young age are more likely to leave school at 16 years old. Those who make it to university are more likely to drop out early, according to new research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress.
The research also says that when this group of children grows up, they are less likely to work in certain non-manual occupations such as police officer, clerk or foreman.
Researchers say these results suggest children with asthma are disadvantaged in education and in their future work.
The research was presented by Dr Christian Schyllert, a clinician at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, and a PhD student at Umeå University. He explained: “Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases among children and we know that it can interfere with daily life and affect school attendance. However, we know a lot less about the impact childhood asthma has on subsequent life chances in adulthood.”
The study was based on children living in three districts in Sweden. In 1996, all children aged between seven and eight years were invited to participate in the study and 97% agreed. Participants were followed-up at age 11-12, 19 and 27-28 years. By 2015, researchers were still in contact with 2,291 (59%) of participants.
Children who are diagnosed with asthma when they are young and continue to suffer as they grow up have worse life chances when it comes to their education and jobs
At the start of the study and at each follow-up, researchers made notes if children had asthma. This meant they had been diagnosed with the condition by a doctor, and suffered wheezing or had taken asthma medication during the previous 12 months. Children were considered to have ‘early-onset, persistent asthma’ if they were first diagnosed before the age of 12 years and were still suffering with asthma at 19 years old.
Researchers then compared the above information with data on when children left education and which occupations they entered. They took into account other factors, such as gender, body weight and smoking, that could have an influence on education and work.
The analysis showed that children with early-onset persistent asthma were three and half times more likely than children without asthma to leave school at the age of 16 with only basic education. They were also twice as likely to drop out of university before completing three years of study.
In terms of their careers, children with early-onset persistent asthma were less than half as likely to enter non-manual occupations, including clerk, nursing assistant, police officer, musician and foreman. Dr Schyllert said: “This study suggests that children who are diagnosed with asthma when they are young and continue to suffer with the condition as they grow up have worse life chances when it comes to their education and their future jobs.”