Jevgenija Smirnova ST-2020

Atopic dermatitis, academic attainment, cognitive function and stress resilience

Smirnova J, von Kobyletzki LB, Lindberg M, Svensson Å, Langan SM, Montgomery S

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a pruritic and usually visible skin condition that might adversely affect academic performance, possibly including through a negative influence of stress resilience. We examined the associations of AD in adolescents with stress resilience, cognitive function, and highest level of education using data from national cohort of potential military conscripts in Sweden, using linear regression and multinomial regression. In total 234 715 men were included and 1 673 (0,7%) had an AD diagnosis at ages 17-20 years during assessment for military conscription between 1969 and 1976. AD was associated with a greater risk of low stress resilience even after adjustment for potential confounding factors (relative risk 1.60; 95% confidence interval 1.38 to 1.86). Despite this, we found a positive association between AD and higher cognitive function (b coefficient 0.15; 0.05 to 0.24) and higher educational level (relative risk 1.29; 1.13 to 1.47) but adjustment for socioeconomic factors attenuated this association and eliminated statistical significance. AD was not associated with lower cognitive function or poorer academic attainment in potential military recruits among males in Sweden. The potential effects of the lower stress resilience associated with AD on later health outcomes need to be further explored.

Ett stort tack till mina handledare Laura von Kobyletzki, Scott Montgomery, Magnus Lindberg och Åke Svensson samt medförfattare Sinéad Langan.