Impact of childhood asthma on academic performance in NSW (2005-2018)

Cohort study of people aged up to 18 years old hospitalised for asthma during 2005-2018 in NSW, Australia, looking at school performance.
Findings:

• young males hospitalised with asthma had a 13% and 15% higher risk of not achieving the national minimum standard for numeracy and reading respectively, a 51% higher risk of not completing year 10, and around 20% higher risk of not completing year 11 or 12, compared to peers.
• Young females with asthma presented no difference in achieving national minimum standard in numeracy and reading, but a 21% higher risk of not completing year 11 and a 33% higher risk of not completing year 12.

Conclusions: Educational attainment is worse for young people hospitalized with asthma compared to matched peers. Early intervention and strategies for better management of asthma symptoms may enhance academic performance for students.