01/22/07

Atlanta has named the worst US city for asthma sufferers to live, according to the most recent rankings of the Asthma Capitals—the 100 most challenging places to live if you have asthma—released by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).

The city has topped the list due in part to its higher than average crude death rate (CDR) for asthma; high year-round pollen levels; bad air pollution; and a lack of 100% smoke-free bans for restaurants, bars, or workplaces that many other cities across the United States have begun to adopt. Also contributing to Atlanta’s ranking on the list this year is its high poverty and uninsured rates, both of which are barriers to good asthma care for many Atlanta area residents.

The top 10 cities on the list this year are as follows:

    1.  Atlanta
    2.  Philadelphia
    3.  Raleigh, NC
    4.  Knoxville, Tenn
    5.  Harrisburg, Pa
    6.  Grand Rapids, Mich
    7.  Milwaukee, Wis
    8.  Greensboro, NC
    9.  Scranton, Pa
    10. Little Rock, Ark
   
The detailed ranking for all 100 cities is available at http://www.AsthmaCapitals.com.