Asthma hotspots: Northeast US tops the list
The report analyzed various factors including asthma prevalence, emergency visits, deaths, pollen counts, and air quality.
As the third week of September begins, experts warn that “Asthma Peak Week” can be particularly dangerous for the over 25 million people in the U.S. living with asthma.
A new report from the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America (AAFA) reveals that 17 of the top 20 most challenging places to live with asthma in the United States are east of the Mississippi River, with 12 of these in the Northeast.
Health experts note that 1 in 12 Americans has asthma, a chronic lung disease that inflames the airways and is particularly common in children. September is a peak month for asthma attacks due to environmental triggers like ragweed, high mold counts, extreme weather and wildfire smoke. Back-to-school illnesses and poor indoor air quality in aging schools also contribute to the increase in asthma incidents.
Air pollution from wildfire smoke, dust particles, smog, volcanic ash and fossil fuel emissions significantly exacerbates asthma symptoms. The AAFA's Asthma Capitals report reveals that over 40 percent of Americans live in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution or ozone.
The AAFA found that more asthma attacks, emergency room visits and hospitalizations occur in September than any other month. The report analyzed various factors, including asthma prevalence, emergency visits, deaths, pollen counts and air quality, to identify these challenging areas:
(Click here to see the full 2024 Asthma Capitals report)
"You rank high in any one of the three categories, whether it's emergency room visits, prevalence or mortality, then you'll rank high on that list," President and CEO of Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America Kenneth Mendez told AccuWeather."
(Photo credit: Getty Images)
Asthma is a growing health concern in the United States. Nearly 28 million people are currently affected, up from 20.3 million in 2001 and experts say the effects of climate change are contributing to longer, harder-to-manage allergy seasons.
Pollen is another growing challenge, as it can trigger allergic asthma. Climate change has led to longer and more intense allergy seasons in the United States, making it harder for those with asthma to manage their symptoms.
According to experts from the AAFA, rising temperatures have led to an extended growing season in the U.S., making the springtime harder than ever for the 24 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies.
Fall, especially September, is also notoriously difficult for both allergy and asthma sufferers. "It's really important to realize that the third week in September we called peak week, and that's because there's this confluence of seasonal allergies, which is fall allergies, usually ragweed, and that could be a trigger for asthma," Mendez said.
Combine that with kids going back to school and people being outdoors during the summer and then coming indoors and that triggers the spread of respiratory infections, which can trigger your asthma.
"What a lot of people don't understand is that close to ten people die each day from asthma. So it's really important to make sure that your asthma symptoms are well-controlled so you don't end up in the hospital."
Experts from the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America (AAFA) report that almost 1 million emergency room visits each year are linked to asthma. Yet, many of these cases are preventable with proper medication and by reducing exposure to known triggers.
To help monitor and manage these triggers, you can check air quality, pollen levels and the asthma outlook in your area for free on the AccuWeather app and AccuWeather.com.
Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+
For more health stories, click here.
For more climate stories, click here.
AccuWeather is proud to support the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America's work with our unique data and award-winning expertise.
Report a Typo
