The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America rolled out their annual list of the 100 hardest places to live if you have asthma, and the top 10 portion has some of the usual suspects on it:

1. Knoxville, TN
2. Tulsa, OK
3. Milwaukee, WI
4. Atlanta, GA
5. Memphis, TN
6. Allentown, PA
7. Charlotte, NC
8. Greenville, SC
9. St. Louis, MO
10. Greensboro, NC

(Source: Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, see link above)

This is the third time in five years Knoxville’s claimed the top spot, and Memphis usually makes the top ten, too. I wonder what it’s like to be an Asthma Mom or Dad in Knoxville? Take a look at the big list through the link below, and you’ll see the entire state of Tennessee has the dubious honor of claiming the most cities–four altogether–in the top 20.

Just what’s going on up there in Tennessee?

Actually, I know part of the answer to this one. If you noticed, both North Carolina and Tennessee have 2 top-ten listings each, and high pollen levels in those side-by-side states are supremely challenging for a lot of asthma patients.

Of course, that’s not the full picture. Other factors like bad air pollution and little to no smoking legislation make up the rankings, too. The AAFA says it creates the list based on these areas:

–Prevalence Factors – morbidity and mortality statistics
–Risk Factors – air quality, pollen, “100% smoke-free” laws, poverty and more
–Medical Factors – medication usage and access to specialists

Go to this pdf for the full list. My area made the top 50, although at least we’re near the end. Where’s your city?

Filed under: Air Quality, Asthma Triggers, News & Research