Daily HealthBeat Tip

Positive thinking about asthma.

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Kids who feel good about themselves seem less likely to let asthma slow them down. A study finds they have fewer absences from school and are more likely to be involved in activities, among other things.

Daphne Koinis Mitchell of the Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center in Rhode Island looked at urban, school-age children from minority backgrounds. Her study, which was supported by the National Institutes of Health, was in the Journal of School Health.

"It appeared that children who exhibited higher levels of problem-solving beliefs and self-esteem were more apt to experience fewer school absences, more participation in activities, and less missed sleep." (10 seconds)

Koinis Mitchell thinks the empowered kids were quicker to act to keep their asthma under control and, therefore, their lives in order – including preventing attacks from keeping them up at night.

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: March 31, 2006

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