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. 2020 Apr;90(4):319-342.
doi: 10.1111/josh.12877. Epub 2020 Jan 30.

Asthma and Academic Performance Among Children and Youth in North America: A Systematic Review

Tali Schneider  1
Affiliations

Asthma and Academic Performance Among Children and Youth in North America: A Systematic Review

Tali Schneider. J Sch Health. 2020 Apr.

Abstract

Background: The increasing prevalence of asthma among adolescents and the limited studies exploring the educational outcomes for youth coping with asthma makes the inquiry in this field of special interest. This paper reviews the literature on empirical studies exploring the relationship between asthma and academic performance among adolescents.

Methods: Five databases (CINAHL, PubMed, ERIC EBSCO, Web of Science, and PsycINFO) were searched for peer-reviewed empirical studies exploring the link between asthma and academic performance utilized. Studies were reviewed, logged, and assessed studies for their research design, methods, and findings. Data synthesis incorporated strengths, limitations, and recommendations for future research and practice.

Results: Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 13 employed a survey design and 7 evaluated school-based interventions implementing an experimental design. Whereas researchers applied quantitative methods in all the studies, qualitative and mixed-method designs were infrequently used. Studies showed a link between school absenteeism and asthma; other academic indicators (eg, graduation and test-scores) showed inconsistent correlation.

Conclusions: Future research should deploy more variable research designs and methods to improve understanding of the factors contributing to the relationship between adolescent asthma and academic performance. Additional topic-specific inquiry is needed to inform school practices and policies.

Keywords: PRISMA; academic achievement; academic performance; adolescent health; asthma.

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References

REFERENCES

    1. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Asthma. National Data. 2017. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/most_recent_data.htm. Accessed September 12, 2017.
    1. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth online: National results. 2015. Available at: https://nccd.cdc.gov/youthonline/App/Results.aspx?LID=XX. Accessed September 12, 2017.
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    1. Florida Asthma Coalition. Burden of Asthma in Florida 2008-2010. Tallahassee, FL: Florida Department of Public Health; 2015.
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