Allergies
Louisville Takes the Lead in 2009 Spring Allergy Capitals
By
May 5, 2009 - 5:20:03 PM

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Washington – The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) revealed the nation’s new top 100 Spring Allergy Capitals™ today – the most challenging places to live for people with spring allergies. Spring is the worst time of year for many allergy sufferers from Louisville, KY (ranked #1), to New Haven, CT (#100 this year). AAFA ranks the Spring Allergy Capitals™ based on the impact that key environmental and medical factors have on allergic individuals in each metropolitan area. AAFA publishes the city rankings every year to help patients recognize, prevent and safely treat allergy symptoms. The top 2009 Spring Allergy Capitals™ are:

1. Louisville, KY

2. Knoxville, TN

3. Charlotte, NC

4. Madison, WI

5. Wichita, KS

6. McAllen, TX

7. Greensboro, NC

8. Dayton, OH

9. Little Rock, AR

10. Augusta, GA

A complete list of the rankings for 100 cities can be found at www.AllergyCapitals.com.

“Anyone who lives in an Allergy Capital should take the necessary steps to minimize the impact of allergies on their life,” says Mike Tringale, Director of External Affairs for AAFA. “The ranking is a great tool to help increase awareness about what allergy sufferers can do to avoid allergy triggers and actually enjoy the spring season.” The Allergy Capitals™ were identified and ranked based on the impact that the following key environmental and medical factors have on the severity of allergies in each city:

• Seasonal pollen

• Use of over-the-counter and prescription allergy medications

• Number of Board Certified allergists

Each factor was weighted to reflect its relative importance as an indicator of allergy severity. The weighted factors were then tallied to assign a total score that determined the final rankings.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) is the largest and oldest 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. For more information, visit www.aafa.org.

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