Posted on 03/27/2006 10:43:03 AM PST by metesky
Mass. asthma rates rising despite nationwide decline
By Jessica Fargen
Monday, March 27, 2006
While asthma rates have leveled off nationwide, New England and Massachusetts continue to see a spike in cases of the lung disease, a disturbing trend that has puzzled researchers, according to a report to be released today.
The number of children and adults diagnosed with asthma in New England has increased by 400,000 since 2001, according to a study released today by the Asthma Regional Council, which looked at asthma rates around the country between 2001 and 2004.
“We really need to declare a war on asthma,” said Laurie Stillman, executive director of the Council.
Fourteen percent of New England children have asthma, compared to 12.4 percent nationwide. Fifteen percent of adults in New England have the chronic lung disease, compared to 13 percent nationwide.
Stillman said the biggest worry is that the rates are increasing in New England and no one knows why.
“That’s the very frustrating thing about asthma,” Stillman said.
Among the findings:
Children in the lowest income bracket have twice the rates of asthma as those whose families make more money.
Children who live with a smoker have a 44 percent greater chance of developing asthma, showing that asthma is not only worsened, but actually caused by cigarette smoke.
Asthma causes depression, missed work and school days and limits physical activity.
The report lists 10 recommendations including a push for research, better access to asthma medication and awareness about the effects of smoking, one of the most easily prevented triggers.
“If they can’t quit, we say take it outside,” Stillman said. “Don’t smoke in the home. Don’t smoke in the car with another person there. It can get them ill.”
All the dust from the big dig!
Because of all the big, strong, fit, self-confident liberals?
It's cause Kennedy and Kerry are such pompous windbags... They are sucking all the air and the life outta Mass.
K farts, bottom line, get rid of the K's and the place might cleanup
Wasn't there an article last week saying that kids less than a year old that were given antibotics, were more likely to develop asthma, and if they'd had received it on more than one occassion, the rates went up even higher?
Also, is asthma a Castillian word, cause is sure spells like it should be said with a lisp?
is=it
That's it! It's an economic disease!
The Big Lie!
OK, I'll give 'em most of this one.
Seems like they ought invest heavily in some kind of alternative energy to provide clean air...say, a windfarm off Cape Cod, perhaps.
Inbreeding? Maybe that's what you get when you allow homosexuals to marry.
Is there a special program in Massachusetts that gives money to asthmatics? That could be an explanation.
I wonder if some Boston politicians have an interest in a research facility. I'll bet that they could solve the problem if they just had enough federal money. This could be the medical equivalent of The Big Dig.
Could be. They have a program for everything in TPROM.
Socialized medicine in these states. Come on in and see the doctor for free. Free inhalers. Up go the statistics.
"Children in the lowest income bracket have twice the rates of asthma as those whose families make more money. "
Black mold and mildue can do this, maybe they should inspect where they live before asking for a handout.
I like the part where Laurie tells me to smoke outside of my own home. Oh yeah, sure, honey, sure. Bwahaha!
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