Four New England cities were tagged in a study by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America as among the top 20 cities in the country that are the most challenging places to live with asthma, NECN reports.
The top spot went to Springfield, Massachusetts, with Boston coming in eighth; in Connecticut, New Haven was 11th, and Hartford placed 13th.
The study reviewed 100 U.S. cities, looking at various criteria, including asthma prevalence, emergency department visits due to asthma attacks, and asthma-related deaths. Risk factors like poverty, air quality, access to doctors, pollen, medication, tobacco policies, and insurance for residents were also taken into account.
Part of the reasons why Springfield grabbed the number one spot was due to the city’s amount of pollen, which contributed to a high rate of asthma sufferers overall. Residents also had the highest number of asthma-related emergency room visits.
The asthma foundation works to encourage people to seek medical advice about asthma, and for individuals to learn what might trigger an attack. It also urges communities to work with leadership on improvements for healthier environments.
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