The 20 Best Places To Live With Asthma In The Us
When suffering from certain health conditions, where you live can make a difference to the symptoms you experience. One example is asthma, as there are some places to live that can exacerbate the condition, while other locations can reduce the symptoms. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America ranked the 100 largest cities in the United States in terms of factors relating to asthma. Air quality, pollution, and humidity are all factors that can make a difference, and finding an area with good healthcare facilities is another consideration. If you suffer from this chronic lung condition, here are the 20 best places to live in the United States if you have asthma.
Worst Cities For Asthma In The Usa
All things considered, there are some locations throughout the USA that are worse for people with asthma. Certain cities might make breathing very difficult, which could cause someone with asthma to avoid living there, or visiting for a weekend getaway. Its important to always do research to make sure your destination is safe.
While there is always medication to help ease your symptoms, there are some places which you should probably try to avoid if you suffer from asthma.
Jackson, Mississippi
Mississippi is an allergy sufferers nightmare. This city has the highest pollen count in the USA, which can spell disaster for asthma sufferers. The city isnt so high in pollution compared to other American cities, but, like many other cities in the south, Jackson has a very high humidity rate.
Bakersfield, California
It may come as a surprise to you that the American city with the highest pollution rate stands in sunny California. Bakersfield has the highest pollution measures when looking at spikes in particulate matter. This means that the normal air in the city will generally irritate those who are sensitive to their asthma symptoms.
Dayton, Ohio
Ohio is another place that seems to have a lot of problems for asthma sufferers. This is likely due to the pollen count impacting the air quality. They are one of the highest-ranking states in terms of asthma-related emergency room visits, and the sheer frequency of asthma medication use.
Springfield, Massachusetts
Healthy Air Environment For Your Home
If you or your children are living with asthma, you can use the statistics above to make an informed decision about the best area for you to live. But no matter where youre living, there are some steps you can take to ensure a healthy environment for your family.
Begin by looking out for unexpected asthma triggers that may be in your home, school, or workplace.
Then you can use these Healthy Air tips to turn your home into a sanctuary from the outdoor air that may exacerbate asthma symptoms and attacks. We hope you can use these tools to take control of your environment to make a safe, healthy home for you and your family.
Breathe the Fullness of LifeLet’s clear the air.
We know that severe winter weather can cause havoc on the roadways and make you, well, really cold. But how does the winter climate impact the quality of the air we breathe?
Lets look at four winter events that can jeopardize the health of our air, and discuss ways to combat those risks.
For localized information about the air quality in your region, check out the Aprilaire State of Your Air tool.
The State of Your AirWere shining a light on the link between local weather and air quality.
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Invest In An Air Purifier
We recommend buying an air purifier not only because were an air purifier company but because it helps a ton. Indoor air is 3-5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Our True HEPA air purifiers can filter up to 99.99 percent of airborne particles down to 0.1 microns, removing irritants and providing you and your child with clean, fresh air.
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What Is The Best Food To Eat For Asthma
4 Foods To Eat If You Have Asthma Fatty fish. It seems that the health experts simply cant get enough of the beneficial omega-3s and other fatty acids found in fish like salmon, sardines and mackerel. Vitamin D. Vitamin D is one of the most important antioxidants in the human body, and yet most of us are deficient in it. Carrots. Bananas.
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Impact Of Climate Change
Climate change can impact asthma. Ozone or particle pollution can cause or aggravate asthma. These pollutant levels can be different depending on where you live. The American Lung Association produces an annual report listing the cities with the most and least ozone and particle pollution. You can also find information about daily pollution levels in your area at Airnow.7,8
Higher temperatures due to climate change can also increase ground-level ozone. Ground-level ozone can be the most harmful ozone for people with asthma. Spikes in ground-level ozone on hot days correspond to increased emergency room visits related to asthma. Warmer summers have also caused flowers to bloom earlier and longer, releasing more pollen. This can aggravate allergies and asthma.7
It may be better to live in a place with less overall air pollution or allergens so that the spikes are not as bad. On warm days, you can also check the air quality index before going outside.
Controlling Your Asthma Symptoms
Of course, you could be living in one of the “best” cities for asthma and still have the nation’s worst asthma symptoms. Location matters less than how well you’re controlling your condition, experts say.
Start at home. Even if you have no power over the weather, smog, or the pollen count outside your house, you do have some control over the allergens and irritants inside it. And what’s inside might have a bigger impact on your asthma symptoms.
“People spend an average of 22 hours a day indoors,” says Bernstein. That makes for a lot of exposure to potential asthma triggers in a confined space. Allergy-proofing your home and removing irritants — like perfumes and cleaning agents — could really help.
You also need to work with your doctor to get control of your condition. If you have allergic asthma, that means allergy testing. It’s the only way to find out precisely what is causing your problems. You’ll also need to use your medications exactly as prescribed.
While it’s good to be aware of how the local conditions in your city could affect asthma symptoms, where you live shouldn’t dictate how you feel.
“As long as you have good control of your asthma, you really can live in any city in the world and still be symptom-free,” says Waldron.
Jonathan A. Bernstein, MD, allergist professor of medicine, department of internal medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
Cascya Charlot, MD, medical director, Allergy and Asthma Care of Brooklyn, N.Y.
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The Worst States And Regions For People With Allergies And Asthma
Ohio and Massachusetts were found to have the most cities that ranked in the top 20 worst places to live with asthma, but asthma triggers do not necessarily follow state lines. When compiling data for the 2018 report, the AAFA found two specific regions that seemed to have worse-than-average environmental conditions for people living with asthma. These regions are specifically outlined by the AAFA as asthma belts because they each have a high proportion of asthma capitals:
- Ohio-Lake Erie Asthma BeltThis region is home to 8 of the 20 worst cities for asthma sufferers, including Louisville, Kentucky Detroit, Michigan and the six Ohio cities that ranked on the list.
- Northeast Mid-Atlantic Asthma BeltThe AAFA theorizes that poverty, air quality and access to specialists may factor into why many cities in this region are potentially hazardous for people with asthma. The region is home to 9 of the top 20 worst cities for asthma sufferers, including Springfield, Massachusetts Richmond, Virginia and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
For a comprehensive list of the worst cities for asthma sufferers, read the full AAFA 2018 report.
The Best Us Cities For People With Asthma
Managing asthma can be a challenge. For many people, asthma triggers exist both inside the home and outside. Where you live can affect the frequency and severity of asthma attacks.
There is no perfect community free of triggers for people with asthma, but understanding environmental risk factors can help you to develop a plan to minimize your exposure. You can take steps to manage the condition and live a healthy and happy life wherever you may be.
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What Can Be Done
Reduced asthma rates and deaths are possible. This report shows where we can focus our efforts for healthier environments and communities. Researchers, health care providers, federal and state policy makers, and local stakeholders all must work together to improve local communities and make asthma care more widely available. View our report to see specific actions that can be taken to help the more than 25 million Americans with asthma.
The 2021 Asthma Capitals report is an independent research project of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America made possible in part by support from the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association Foundation.
Asthma Support
AAFA is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with asthma and allergic diseases. Our community is here for you 24/7. You can connect with others who understand what it is like to live with asthma and allergies. You’re not alone.
New York City New York
In New York City, about 10 percent of all the adults are asthmatic. However, racial disparities exist, as the rate of asthma is the highest in African American children at 22%. On the other hand. Hispanic children have a 15% rate of asthma prevalence, while the percentage is 10% for Asian children and 4% for White children.
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Possible Causes Of Asthma
Most people with asthma developed the condition as children. Scientists dont know the exact cause of asthma, but they think there may be a connection to infections or contact with allergens in early life.
Usually, a family history of asthma or allergies increases the risk. There is no cure, but people living with asthma typically use a combination of lifestyle modifications and medications to reduce exposure to or the consequences of asthma triggers.
Worst Us Cities To Visit With Asthma
Asthma is a serious breathing condition that involves the constriction and swelling of airways, as well as excess production of mucus, which makes breathing difficult or problematic. Its considered a chronic condition that can worsen with time or in response to environmental factors if it goes untreated.
About 25 million people in the United States alone have been diagnosed with asthma thats one in every 12 people. In 2007 alone, 3,447 people died of complications related to asthma. Asthma ranges in severity from mild to extremely life threatening, and symptoms can be triggered by a variety of factors including exercise, fumes, gas, and allergens like dog dander and pollen.
There are three main classifications of asthma. Occupational asthma is caused by inhaling fumes, gas, or dust on the job. Childhood asthma often appears before the age of five, and the symptoms include wheezing, coughing, labored breathing, and weakness or exhaustion. Like adult asthma, it cannot be cured, but there are steps that you can take to control the symptoms and mitigate any potential damage to growing lungs. Allergic asthma is caused by a pre-existing allergy which triggers symptoms like inflamed airways, coughing, and wheezing.
There are some cities where living with asthma is easier, and others that make daily life for asthma sufferers quite difficult.
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Worst 100 Us Cities For Asthma
Scranton, Pa. is the worst city in the U.S. for asthma, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
The foundation has released its “2006 Asthma Capitals” list. The annual list names the 100 U.S. cities the foundation considers to be the nation’s most challenging places to live for people with asthma.
Leading this year’s list are:
“Researchers developing this year’s rankings looked at 12 factors from three broad categories — prevalence, risk, and medical factors,” states a foundation news release.
“All factors are weighted differently but the most important ones are the risk factors, which included annual pollution and ozone levels, pollen counts, public smoking bans, and more.”
Many cities on the list showed an above-average use of “rescue medications,” indicating that asthma patients weren’t properly managing their asthma, the news release notes.
Full Rankings
Here is the full list, starting with the worst cities for asthma:
The Worst Cities For People With Asthma
May 19, 2015
If you have asthma, weather patterns and where you live can severely impact your quality of life.
Hot, humid days spur the production of ozone in the atmosphere, causing tough-to-take air quality conditions for individuals with asthma and other respiratory conditions. Seasonal allergies can clog airways, too.
What triggers asthma can be a certain kind of cocktail ozone during hot summer days, particulate matter pollution in the air, Mike Tringale, of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, told weather.com. Some people are allergic to pollen some people are allergic to cat dander . Smoking is a leading cause of asthma symptoms, particularly in the inner city.
The AAFA releases an annual list of the worst U.S. metro cities for people with asthma. The rankings are based on 13 factors covering three main categories: disease prevalence, environmental risk factors and community health care costs associated with asthma, such as ER visits.
This year for the first time, the organization also analyzed regional trends in asthma, finding that the South has a disproportionately high problem with the disease.
There’s something happening in the southern region that is worth taking note … five of the top 10 worst cities are in the South, Tringale said. You’ve heard of the Bible belt, the stroke belt I think we may have an asthma belt in the South as well.
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Fight For Healthy Air
At Aprilaire, we believe everyone deserves to Breathe the Fullness of Life, and were not the only ones that feel this way. Through our Proud Partnership with the American Lung Association, we aim to fill every home with Healthy Air. Both Aprilaire and the Lung Association believe that breathing Healthy Air should be available to everyone, and maintaining healthy Indoor Air Quality is an important step for your lung health. Read more about our partnership and the efforts of the American Lung Association on their website.
*Disclaimer: The American Lung Association does not endorse any product, device, or service.
Categories
Air quality experts say that it is safe to resume flying, but travelers must take advanced precautions before traveling like taking shorter flights when possible, wearing masks, and social distancing.
In an opinion piece for The Washington Post, Joseph Allen, an assistant professor of exposure assessment science at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, makes the case that airplanes do not make you sick. In fact, airplanes have comparable levels of air filtration and fresh air ventilation to a health care facility.
Tulsa Among 10 Worst Cities For Asthma
- May 15, 2014
Tulsa is among the worst cities in the country for asthma sufferers, according to a report released recently from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
Tulsa was the eighth worst city, rising from last years rank of 15th.
Oklahoma City was fourth worst. The worst city on the list was Richmond, Virginia, according to the foundations 11th annual report.
Asthma affects nearly 25 million people in the United States, according to the foundation.
Dr. Mark Boomer, pulmonologist at Saint Francis Hospital, said Tulsa is often ranked among the toughest cities for living with allergies and asthma.
Allergens are blown into Oklahoma from all parts of the country, leading to situations like a high pollen count, he said.
Other causes arent as certain, Boomer said.
The truth is we dont always know every reason why, he said.
Tulsa was rated worse than average for estimated and self-reported asthma prevalence, as well as for average pollen score, smoking laws and rate of uninsured.
It also received a worse than average mark for use of quick-relief and control medicines and the number of specialists.
The city was rated average for asthma death rate, air quality, poverty rate and emergency room visits for asthma.
Boomer said people who suffer from asthma should figure out what causes them to experience symptoms so they are better prepared for attacks.
This can be done by keeping a diary, he said.
Its also helpful to be compliant with inhaled medicines, he said.
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Top 10 Worst Cities For Asthma In The Usa
While air pollution plays a part in some of these cities, its not the only contributing factor to why they should be avoided by people with asthma.
Your living conditions are also an important factor. Several factors such as second-hand smoke, pollen, being uninsured, and poverty are all issues. Knowledge about which cities are the worst for those with this condition may be something to consider when relocating.
The Worst Cities In The Us For Asthma
Memphis, New Haven, and Knoxville Top List of ‘Asthma Capitals’
May 1, 2012 — Memphis residents may have a new reason to sing the blues, if they can catch their breath.
A new report ranks the southern city as the most challenging city in the U.S. to live with asthma, followed closely by New Haven, Conn., and Knoxville, Tenn.
The 2012 list of “Asthma Capitals” takes into account factors like prevalence of asthma, poor air quality, and use of asthma medications in the nation’s 100 largest metro areas.
“Many local community issues like air pollution, poverty, or crowded emergency rooms are asthma-related issues that affect one patient at a time, one day at a time, right here in our own cities and towns,” says Bill McLin, president and CEO of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America , which compiled the report.
Overall, the report showed that the prevalence of asthma in the top 100 cities did not change much from 2011 to 2012. Meanwhile, the average air quality improved from a grade of D in 2011 to a C- in 2012.
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