Evaluation of depression levels and associated factors among pediatric patients with allergic conjunctivitis

Background: The data on depression in children with allergic conjunctivitis (AC) from Southeast Asia is scarce. The study aims to compare depression level between Malaysian children with AC and healthy controls, evaluate depression in relation to the severity of AC, and identify factors associated with depression among children with AC disease. Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was carried out at two tertiary hospitals in Malaysia from October 2023 to April 2025, involving children aged 7 to 17 years. The participant’s recruitment depends on the confirmed diagnosis of AC. While in the control group, healthy age-matched children were recruited. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC) questionnaire. Results: One hundred and fifty children were recruited, including 75 children with AC and 75 healthy controls. Children with AC showed significantly higher mean total and subscale scores of depressive symptoms compared to controls ( p