After jockeying for position in the top five most challenging cities to live in the United States with asthma, Memphis holds the leading spot for 2015, according to the newly released annual Asthma Capitals report by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).

Poor air quality, inadequate public smoking bans, high reliance on asthma medications and voluminous emergency room visits for asthma were among the significant factors why the Bluff City – alternately known as Home of the Blues and Birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and perhaps more tellingly of health issues, the Barbecued Pork Capital of the World – climbed to the uncoveted spot atop the annual list, after moving from No. 3 in 2013 and No. 2 in 2014.

Rounding out the top five Asthma Capitals for 2015: Richmond, Va., which held the top perch last year; Philadelphia, Pa.; Detroit, Mich.; and Oklahoma City, Okla.

“Each year for our report, we look at the largest cities across the country and measure the things that people with asthma care about the most,” said Mike Tringale, senior vice president of external affairs and principal investigator for the report. “Obviously, we look at pollen, pollution, and ozone because nature affects adults and kids with asthma. But we also look at poverty, uninsured rates and city smoking bans because public policies matter, too.”

Community Blueprint

The annual report, Tringale pointed out, provides communities with a blueprint for change, along with data on 13 critical factors relating to asthma prevalence, environmental conditions and healthcare usage. Teva Respiratory (TEVA) and QVAR Inhalation Aerosol sponsored the report, an independent AAFA research project. “Communities can work to make progress of many of these factors,” said Tringale.

The most noticeable ranking change for Medical News markets: Knoxville, Tenn., which tumbled from No. 41 to No. 7, after making progress from the 2013 list (No. 10).

“The Allergy Capitals can help to inform a pollen sufferer about geographical areas that may provide and worsen their seasonal symptoms, which impacts their quality of life,” said allergist Cliff Bassett, MD, AAFA ambassador and medical director of Allergy & Asthma Care of NY.

Similarly, the information holds true for families traveling to Asthma Capitals, perhaps altering the time of year to visit for the least impact on asthma sufferers.

Spring Allergy Capitals’ Impact

Bassett also pointed to AAFA’s spring allergy capitals. The worst metro area: Jackson, Miss., based on higher-than-average pollen and medication use.

“It’s important that allergy sufferers take heed,” he said. “A new study by AAFA revealed that spring is when most allergy patients experience their worst seasonal allergy symptoms, and patients report that they’re not fully satisfied with over-the-counter (OTC) options they find on drug store shelves.”

Rounding out the top five spring allergy capitals for 2015, respectively: Louisville, Ky.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Memphis, Tenn.; and Knoxville, Tenn.

Congressional Response

With an estimated $50 billion national price tag for treating asthma annually, Congress is considering important legislation to reduce America’s asthma burden. The Family Asthma Act of 2015 (S 1064), introduced again this year by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), would strengthen research, promote public education and develop improved recommendations for asthma treatment and management. If enacted, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would expand asthma tracking to provide researchers with much-needed data on disease prevalence, severity and treatment in the United States. The CDC could also develop recommendations regarding the federal government’s role in response to asthma by providing steps for reducing asthma’s prevalence, cost and mortality rates; and ideas for further research, treatments and intervention.

Gillibrand also introduced legislation to enable schools to enact better asthma management plans. The School Asthma Management Plans Act (S 1065) could greatly improve the way schools provide care and treatment for students with asthma. In the U.S., an estimated 7 million children under the age of 18 have asthma, a leading cause for school absenteeism. The act directs grant-receiving schools to develop asthma management plans that identify all students with an asthma diagnosis, provide asthma education for all school staff, and develop protocols and training to support symptom management. Schools could also use grant funds to acquire asthma inhalers, spacers, air purifiers, and related supplies.

Overall Medical News market rankings in the 2015 Asthma Capitals report, with major markets highlighted in bold, are:

No. 1: Memphis, Tenn.

No. 7: Knoxville, Tenn

No. 8: Chattanooga, Tenn.

No. 9: New Orleans, La.

No. 21: Louisville, Ky.

No. 25: Jacksonville, Fla.

No. 26: St. Louis, Mo.

No. 28: Little Rock, Ark.

No. 29: Nashville, Tenn.

No. 30: Jackson, Miss.

No. 44: Birmingham, Ala.

No. 54: Tampa, Fla.

No. 58: Lakeland, Fla.

No. 60: Greensboro, N. C.

No. 61: Miami, Fla.

No. 64: Orlando, Fla.

No. 67: Winston-Salem, N. C.

No. 68: Charlotte, N. C.

No. 71: Baton Rouge, La.

No. 72: Kansas City, Mo.

No. 77: Daytona Beach, Fla.

No. 92: Raleigh, N. C.

No. 93: Sarasota, Fla.

No. 94: Cape Coral, Fla.

No. 95: Palm Bay, Fla.

LINKS:

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America: http://aafa.org/

Asthma Capitals 2015: http://www.asthmacapitals.com/

Congressional Bill Tracker (Family Asthma Act; S 1064): https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s1064

Congressional Bill Tracker (School Asthma Management Plans Act; S 1065): https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s1065

TEVA Pharmaceuticals: http://www.tevausa.com/

QVAR: http://m.qvar.com/