The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has released its annual list, "The Most Challenging Places to Live with Asthma." Researchers say they looked at 13 critical factors, including air pollution, pollen, secondhand smoke, poverty and emergency room visits.
According to the new research, Richmond, Virginia, is the worst major metropolitan area in the U.S. for people who suffer from asthma. The AAFA said Richmond's high pollen levels, elevated poverty rates, lack of city smoking bans and frequent asthma-related emergency room visits all pushed the city to the top of the list. This is the 11th year the organization has released the U.S. Asthma Capitals rankings. Richmond also topped the 2010 and 2011 lists.
Asthma is a serious disease that can undermine quality of life and even cause death.
"I have been hospitalized 24 times in the past 7 years, and admitted to the intensive care unit 8 times," asthma sufferer Kenny Beyer said in an AAFA press release. "I felt like I had to live in a bubble so I wouldn't have an asthma attack."
Memphis, McAllen, Texas, Oklahoma City and Philadelphia were also in the top five most challenging places to live with asthma. Rochester, New York, Spokane, Washington, Boise, Idaho, Seattle and San Francisco were listed as the five best major metro areas in the U.S. for asthma patients.
If you or your family members suffer from asthma, you can take concrete steps to minimize symptoms. Consult with an allergist to discuss medical treatments, shower before bed to wash pollen from skin and hair and invest in an allergen air purifier to eliminate many airborne irritants. Visit the Allergy Be Gone website to explore our many other useful tools for allergy and asthma sufferers.
