Top Ten Worst Cities for Asthma
See Which Cities Have the Worst Cases of Asthma
- Worst Cities for Asthma
Worst Cities for Asthma
by Laura Colarusso
Asthma -- a chronic lung disease that causes a person's airways to become blocked or narrowed -- afflicts more than 20 million Americans. Even though no place is completely free from asthma triggers, there are some cities that present more of a challenge to live in when you have asthma. A variety of factors, including amount of pollution, access to medical attention and poverty levels, can affect an asthma sufferer's ability to live with the disease. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, or AAFA , has ranked the worst places to live in the United States with asthma. Here are the top 10. - Worst Cities for Asthma
10. Little Rock, AR
Little Rock is average when you look at the prevalence of asthma patients; roughly 7.6 percent of the city's close to 200,000 people suffer from the disease. The city also meets the national average of asthma specialists with about five for every 10,000 patients, according to the AAFA. The capital of Arkansas makes the top 10 worst asthma cities in America because its crude death rate for asthma is above the national average, and the city has yetto enact a comprehensive smoking ban, the lack of which, experts say, will continue to trigger asthma episodes. - Worst Cities for Asthma
9. Scranton, PA
This former steel town with a population of about 70,000 comes in at No. 9 for a couple of reasons. Scranton has a higher percentage of asthma patients than Little Rock and the air quality is worse. Also, like Little Rock, Scranton has yet to ban public smoking. - Worst Cities for Asthma
8. Greensboro, NC
In historic Greensboro, residents rely on their cars to get around. It's a habit that negatively impacts the air quality, which can be a key trigger for asthma episodes, according to Angel Waldron,a spokeswoman for the AAFA. At the same time, Greensboro has a high prevalence of asthma and a low number of asthma specialists, according to data compiled by the AAFA. - Worst Cities for Asthma
7. Milwaukee, WI
Close to one in five Milwaukee residents live in poverty, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. While asthma doesn't discriminate based on socio-economic status, those that fall below the poverty line often have a tougher time getting the medicines they need. The high poverty rate combined with an asthma prevalence that's above the national average of 7.6 percent plus the lack of a smoking ban in all public places earns Milwaukee a spot on the AAFA'slist. - Worst Cities for Asthma
6. Grand Rapids, MI
It's no secret that "Furniture City" was a major lumbering center, but what you may not know is that Grand Rapids has a poor track record when it comes to prescribing asthma medications. The city, which not only gets low marks for air quality, falls below the national average for both the use of rescue and controller asthma medication. - Worst Cities for Asthma
5. Harrisburg, PA
Harrisburg is the second Pennsylvania city to make the AAFA's list. The capital of Pennsylvania does have a couple of things going for it. The number of deaths attributable to asthma is low, as is the annual pollen score. But Harrisburg has a high number of asthma sufferers. On top of that, the use of asthma prescriptions -- both rescue and controller medications -- are below average by national standards. - Worst Cities for Asthma
4. Knoxville, TN
Knoxville has a lot of asthma sufferers, but fewer of them die from the disease each year on average, according to the AAFA. Pollen and air quality are par for the course in this eastern Tennessee city. But like many of the cities on this list, Knoxville hasn't enacted a comprehensive smoking ban. The statewide smoking ban that went into effect in October prohibits smoking in restaurants, but makes exceptions for workplaces that have three or fewer employees and eating establishments and bars that require patrons to be 21 or older. - Worst Cities for Asthma
3. Raleigh, NC
Raleigh runs middle-of-the-road when it comes to air quality and pollen, both asthma triggers. The city's annual pollen score roughly mirrors the U.S. average -- about 40 grains per cubic meter of airon a daily basis. But the capital of North Carolina has not completely banned public smoking, and the poverty rate is high, which means asthma patients might not have access to asthma medications or specialists. Raleigh also has a low prescription rateforrescue medications, dipping below the national average of 2.19 prescriptions per estimated patients. - Worst Cities for Asthma
2. Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia has poor air quality, which is a definite asthma trigger, and hasn't completely banned smoking in public places, the AAFA states. The city of brotherly love has asthma problems beyond that. "The prevalence of asthma cases was much higher than the national average," said the AAFA's Waldron, as was the death rate from asthma. What saved Philly from being the worst city for asthma patients? Decent access to asthma specialists, said Waldron. And that might explain why though there are many asthma sufferers in Philadelphia, the city does meet the national average for the use of controller medications.
