NEW RANKINGS SHOW NO CITY IS SAFE FROM ASTHMA -- SCRANTON, RICHMOND, PHILADELPHIA TOP THE 2006 LIST

Allergic Asthma Remains a Major Public Health Issue

Contact:            Angel Waldron at 202-466-7643, x248

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 8, 2006 – Scranton, PA, Richmond, VA, and Philadelphia, PA, are among America's top Asthma Capital based on twelve factors considered in the annual ranking of 100 major metropolitan areas, released today by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). 

The research, conducted for the third year, shows that no place in America is safe from asthma, and that some cities are worse than others when it comes to risk factors and quality of life for asthma patients.  

"There's no such thing as an 'asthma-free' city, so moving won't solve the problem," said Mike Tringale, M.S.M., AAFA's Director of Communications.  "What is important is that people understand what triggers an asthma attack and where to look for help to get the right specialist and treatment."

This year, AAFA is calling attention to "allergic asthma," the most common form of the asthma that affects more than 10 million Americans.  Research conducted by AAFA shows that nearly half of all asthma sufferers do not have their asthma under "control," and awareness about allergic asthma is low. 

"There have been enormous advances in the treatment of allergic asthma," said Derek Johnson, M.D., director of the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, assistant professor, Department of Pediatrics, Temple University Children's Medical Center.  "Unfortunately, too many asthma patients believe that interruptions to their daily lives are a part of living with this condition, and do not seek proper treatment.  Today, we can treat not just the symptoms but the underlying cause."

Researchers developing this year's rankings looked at twelve factors from three broad categories -- prevalence, risk and medical factors -- for all 100 major metropolitan areas.  All factors are weighted differently, but the most important ones are the risk factors, which included annual pollution and ozone levels, pollen counts, public smoking bans and more. 

Cities can rise or fall in the rankings depending on how all twelve factors change.  Some can be controlled and improved by a community -- such as smoking laws and pollution levels -- but other factors are difficult to control and may vary widely in a city from year to year, such as pollen levels.  Scranton and Richmond both recorded some of the highest pollen levels this year, which is a major problem for people with allergic asthma.

Many cities on the list also showed an above average use of "rescue medications" indicating that asthma patients were not properly managing their disease.  Lack of patient knowledge about proper asthma management and acceptance of poor quality of life can increase the likelihood of unscheduled doctor's visits, emergency room visits and hospitalizations due to asthma.

AAFA's Web site, www.AsthmaCapitals.com , provides detailed research results for each city included in the rankings, as well as educational information about allergic asthma and tips for asthma patients and caregivers.  

Top Ten Asthma Capitals

The Asthma Capitals are considered to be the most challenging places to live with asthma; the top 10 rankings for this year are:

1.   Scranton, PA
2.   Richmond, VA
3.   Philadelphia, PA
4.   Atlanta, GA
5.   Milwaukee, WI
6.   Cleveland, OH
7.   Greensboro, NC
8.   Youngstown, OH
9.   Saint Louis, MO
10. Detroit, MI

Find the full rankings and complete data for all 100 cities at www.AsthmaCapitals.com. 

About the Rankings

The U.S. Asthma Capitals™ list was compiled based on twelve factors:

Prevalence Factors

-- Estimated prevalence of asthma

-- Self-reported prevalence of asthma

-- Crude death rate for asthma

Risk Factors

-- Annual air quality including ozone days and particle pollution

-- Poverty rate

-- Annual pollen level

-- Uninsured rate

-- Public smoking laws

-- School inhaler access laws    

Medical Factors

-- Number of asthma specialists

-- Rescue medication use per patient           

-- Controller medication use per patient

Asthma: A Public Health Concern 

Asthma is a condition characterized by inflammation of airways in the lungs resulting in chronic wheezing, coughing and difficulty breathing.  Asthma has a significant impact on both individual lives and society, including:

• 14.6 million missed days of school each year, making asthma the leading cause of school absenteeism
• 14.5 million missed days of work for adults each year
• 100 million days of restricted physical activity for children and adults each year
• 1.9 million emergency room visits
• $14 billion in medical expenses and indirect costs
• Approximately 5,000 deaths annually
• More than 500,000 hospitalizations annually

About Allergic Asthma

Allergic asthma is triggered by exposure to allergens like pollen, dust mites and mold.  During the spring season, allergens, such as pollen, are the most troublesome.  An antibody called immunoglobulin E, or IgE, is made by the body in response to contact with allergens.  It is a key component of the allergic cascade that triggers symptoms.  Traditional asthma therapies generally treat the symptoms of asthma, not the underlying cause of the disease.  However, advances in the understanding of the role of IgE have led to alternative approaches in asthma management that are intended to target the underlying cause of the condition. 

About Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) is the leading nonprofit consumer and patient organization fighting asthma and allergic diseases.  AAFA provides free information to the public, offers educational programs to consumers and health professionals, leads advocacy efforts to improve patient care and supports research to find cures.

The 2006 Asthma Capitals ranking is part of AAFA’s ongoing research and educational programs, made possible through financial support from Genentech, Inc. and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.