Author's response to reviews Title: Factors accounting for the association between anxiety and depression, and eczema: The Hordaland Health Study (HUSK) Authors:

could be clearer: Background could explain why the particular factors of interest were picked. Action taken: In the revised manuscript, the following was added in the background section of the abstract: “Low levels of omega-3 fatty acids and female gender have been found to be associated with both depression and eczema, whereas somatization and health anxiety are known to be associated with anxiety and depression. Further, somatization symptoms, and health anxiety has been found in several dermatological conditions. Accordingly, Levels of omega-3 fatty acids, female gender, somatization and health anxiety are possible contributing factors in the association between anxiety and depression, and eczema”. Reviewer’s comment: Methods should make it clear that whole sample was used for all factors except IgE where only existed in female subsample. How was omega 3, health anxiety and somatisation measured. Action taken: Based on the same data, we have previously published the lack of association between IgE and anxiety/depression, and this is mentioned in this paper. On the basis of this nil finding, IgE cannot be a mediating or confounding factor in the association of interest. Therefore, we have omitted analyses of IgE from this manuscript. The method of measurement for the possible contributing factors in the association between anxiety/depression and eczema was self-report, and therefore, the following sentence was added in the methods section of the abstract in the revised manuscript: “Information on eczema, omega-3 fatty acid supplement, female gender, somatization and health anxiety was obtained by self-report”. Reviewer’s comment: In conclsions it sounds rather muddled to say “and the associations of interest were insignificant after this adjustment” because somatization and health anxiety were two of the associations of interest. Needs to be clearer what the primary hypothesis was and which factors were then adjusted for as possible confounders. Action taken: In the revised manuscript, the conclusion section of the abstract was rephrased as follows: “We found no support for omega-3 fatty acid supplement and female gender as contributing factors in the association between anxiety/depression, and eczema. Somatization and health anxiety accounted for about half of the association between anxiety/depression, and eczema, somatization contributed most. The association between anxiety/depression, and eczema was insignificant after adjustment for somatization and health anxiety. Biological mechanisms underlying the mediating effect of somatization are yet to be revealed”.