Did Your City Make the List?
Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways that makes breathing difficult. Many things in the environment can trigger an attack, including air pollution, secondhand smoke, and pollen. Asthma affects one in 5 Americans and is on the rise. While there are no asthma-free cities, some are more challenging than others for people living with asthma. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), a nonprofit patient organization, has released their "2009 Asthma Capitals." Here are the top 10. Click link at bottom for slideshow.
10. Little Rock, AR
9. Atlanta, GA
8. McAllen, TX
7. Knoxville, TN
6. Memphis, TN
5. Charlotte, NC
4. Chattanooga, TN
3. Birmingham, AL
2. Milwaukee, WI
1. St.Louis, MO
Asthma Pictures Slideshow: Images of the 10 Worst Asthma Cities
Luckily I don’t live in any of those places! I find that dust, strong smells and mold really get me going. Stress doesn’t seem to be good either.
Brenda
Brenda, I am the same with strong smells! Chemicals, smoke, and especially overpowering perfumes just really send me into a coughing fit.
Thank goodness I don’t live near any of these cities. I’m curious though, why LA isn’t included? It has enough air pollution. Probably lacking pollen since trees are scarce.
I don’t know Keli, but it did cross my mind when I saw the location of the cities. LA is known for smog and a high rate of childhood asthma so I’m curious too why it’s not on the list. Maybe it’s on the next tier?