Springfield/hampden County is #1 Asthma CAPITAL

The Springfield area tops the list of the most challenging places to live with asthma, according to a report by Asthma and Allergy Foundation.   This is in addition to its ranking as 11th worst for Allergy Capitals.  The reports are based on asthma prevalence and mortality data from all of Hampden County, and emergency department visits from Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin Counties.  Thus, the concerns about asthma are regional, and not limited to the City of Springfield.

Not surprisingly, air quality is also a concern. In the American Lung Association recently released a new State of the Air report. Hampden County receives a D for ozone, which as ALA says, is like a sunburn on your lungs.

WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ASTHMA STATISTICS

• Pediatric asthma rates are high: 1 in 4 children in Holyoke (27%) and almost 1 in 5 children  Springfield (19%), compared to 12% statewide.  Holyoke's rate is more than 3 times  and Springfield's more than twice the national prevalence rate of 8%. (MDPH-2013-2014, CDC)

• Adults in Springfield are similarlyimpacted with  rates of asthma with 18% vs 11% statewide and 9% nationally.

People of color  and low income people are more impacted by asthma  

• Latinos are 5 times as likely and African Americans are 1.5 times as likely to end up hospitalized overnight for asthma (MDPH- 2012)
• Latinos are 4 times as likely and African Americans are twice as likely to end up in the Emergency Department for asthma (MDPH- 2012)

• Adults with less than a high school education  are twice as likely to have asthma and those with incomes below $25,000 are 3 times as likely to have asthma. (CY2013 MA Behavioral Risk Factor

OLDER ADULTS

• Asthma in Older Adults is a serious problem in Massachusetts and particularly in Springfield.  Their rate of hospitalization is second highest of any age group and on the rise. Among older adults (age 65 and older) in Springfield, the 5-year asthma prevalence is 11.6%, which is over 50% higher than that of the U.S. overall and 38% higher than the state (MDPH).   
  
• Latinos 65 or older in Springfield are 8.8x more likely to be hospitalized for asthma than Whites

For data on asthma and other environmental issues in Massachusetts, visit the Massachusetts Environmental Public Health Tracking website.

what can i do to increase asthma awareness?  

Parents: Understand your child's asthma action plan and learn how your child
should use their asthma medications. Read information for parents on other ways to improve your child's quality of life, like reducing asthma triggers in the home. 

Teachers: Create an asthma friendly classroom! Also, complete the online teacher training "Asthma in the Classroom: What do teachers need to know?" The program provides information about asthma triggers, symptoms, and warning signs; it also identifies helpful resources, and aids in developing school policies to address air quality issues.

Kids: Dance along to videos of the world's greatest (and only) asthma rock band, the Breath Easies, to learn about asthma triggers! Also check out our activity books - learning about asthma can be fun!

School Nurses: Collaborate with your school district's School Nurse Asthma Champion to educate about asthma and best practice asthma management, and advocate for creating asthma friendly schools.

School Administrators: Take steps to improve the indoor air quality of your school! Follow the IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit to get started. Support outdoor air quality as well by reinforcing the anti-idling law at your school. 

Doctors: Fill out an asthma action plan, an important component of asthma management.

PE Teachers and Coaches: Children with asthma can exercise! Complete "The Coach's Asthma Clipboard Program", a 25 minute video program, which was created so coaches, referees and PE te

achers could learn about asthma, how it affects an athlete's ability to compete, and how a coach can help athletes manage their symptoms while playing their very best.

Landlords: Maintain asthma friendly housing by enforcing bans on smoking indoors, managing pests, reducing mold, and addressing other asthma triggers. 

Community members: Join a community-based initiative to reduce outdoor air pollution in the Pioneer Valley through advocating for idle-free schools.

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For more resources and information, see PVAC's Resource Lists

For past presentations at PVAC meetings, see PVAC presentations

Check out PVAC's videos on Asthma!