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Introdution: Incidence of childhood asthma and diabetes type 1 is being increased in children. Considering evidences which indicate a probable correlation between maternal depression and childhood chronic physical illness, this study aimed to compare relative frequency of depression in mothers with asthmatic, diabetic and normal children and to assess the time priority between maternal depression and the onset of the child’s illness. Methods and  Materials: In a cross-sectional study, mothers of diabetic children, asthmatic children & normal children were enrolled in 3 groups of participants, each consisting of 100 mothers. Using the Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II), depression was assessed in all participants & mothers of ill children who were detected to be depressed according to the inventory, were referred to a psychiatrist for a DSM.IV clinical interview for approving the diagnosis, assessing co morbidities & evaluating the onset-time of the first depression episode. Relative frequency of depression was compared in the three groups & the time priority between onset of maternal depression and onset of child illness were compared between the two groups of mothers with chronically ill children. Data were analysed using the analysis of variance (ANOVA), Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests, running the SPSS-11 software. Findings: Relative frequency of depression in mothers of normal children, diabetic children & asthmatic children was reported to be 16%, 30% and 27% respectively. Mothers with ill children had a significantly higher rate of depression compared to mothers of normal children (P Discussion: The higher rate of depression among mothers with chronically ill children & the higher rate of time priority of maternal depression relative to the child’s disease onset in mothers of asthmatic children indicate the necessity of preventive mental health programming for mothers with chronically ill children. It also sets a probable causal link between maternal depression & childhood asthma forth for discussion & further investigation. 

Keywords: Maternal depression, Asthma, Diabetes type I, Child

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