Worst Cities for Fall Allergies
Worst Cities for Fall Allergies
By Mary Kearl
It may seem impossible to believe, but fall is upon us already, and with that comes seasonal allergies, affecting a whopping 36 million Americans. While often associated with spring, the most common seasonal allergy trigger, ragweed, is usually found in the fall, according to The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of American (AAFA). Read ahead to discover the top 25 worst cities for allergies from the AAFA's "Fall 2008 Allergy Capitals." Last year's worst city, Austin, didn't even crack the top 25.
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#25: Bridgeport, CT
Rank in 2007: Not in top 100
Pollen Score: Average
Medicine Usage: Average
Access to Allergy Specialists: Worse than average
Total Score: 54.11
The Allergy Capitals is an annual research project of Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America to identify "the 100 most challenging places to live with allergies" in the spring and fall seasons.
The rankings are based on the AAFA's scientific analysis of three factors for 100 metro areas. The data measured and compared each year includes:
*Pollen Score Average = 300 grains per cubic meter of air
**Number of allergy medications used per patient = 1.07 per patient
***Number of allergy specialists per patient = 1.28 per 1,000 patients
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#24: St. Louis, MO
Rank in 2007: 6
Pollen Score: Average
Medicine Usage: Average
Access to Allergy Specialists: Average
Total Score: 54.13
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#23: Scranton, PA
Rank in 2007: 90
Pollen Score: Average
Medicine Usage: Average
Access to Allergy Specialists: Average
Total Score: 54.74
Ed Koskey Jr., AP
#22: Des Moines, IA
Rank in 2007: 72
Pollen Score: Average
Medicine Usage: Worse than average
Access to Allergy Specialists: Above average
Total Score: 54.86
Tom Bean, Getty Images
#21: Memphis, TN
Rank in 2007: 31
Pollen Score: Average
Medicine Usage: Average
Access to Allergy Specialists: Average
Total Score: 55.75
Gavin Hellier, Getty Images
#20: Charlotte, N.C.
Rank in 2007: 26
Pollen Score: Worse than average
Medicine Usage: Average
Access to Allergy Specialists: Above average
Total Score: 56.84
Streeter Lecka, Getty Images
#19: Columbia, S.C.
Rank in 2007: 29
Pollen Score: Average
Medicine Usage: Average
Access to Allergy Specialists: Average
Total Score: 57.38
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#18: San Antonio, TX
Rank in 2007: 2
Pollen Score: Average
Medicine Usage: Average
Access to Allergy Specialists: Average
Total Score: 58.05
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#17: Louisville, KY
Rank in 2007: 61
Pollen Score: Average
Medicine Usage: Worse than average
Access to Allergy Specialists: Average
Total Score: 60.10
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Hopetomhynes 04:21:06 AM Sep 19 2008
How on God's green earth did you leave out my old home town, Eugene OR? At the southern end of the Willamette Valley (prime crop: grass seed!), the ragweed count is huge; you can see the stuff blowing in sheets in May.
sshugs208 12:53:16 AM Sep 19 2008
I can't believe that Colorado Springs isn't on here. My (and my family's) allergies are HORRIBLE every year. The tree pollen is out of control here...
Candycharmer18 09:31:53 PM Sep 17 2008
Oh well, those are beautiful places to live and at least it's not pollution and smog, like some major cities we know...
Tiffnell 08:53:10 PM Sep 17 2008
WOW! Harrisburg, PA made the list. No wonder I'm sick with the flu now, lol
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