Asthma among us

Trouble in the air, inside and out

On Tuesday public health officials observed World Asthma Day, but Pittsburghers could not celebrate. The rate of childhood asthma is alarmingly high here, and there is a direct link between asthma and airborne pollution.

Officials said that 13 percent of our county’s children suffer from asthma, while the rate for the nation as a whole is only 8.4 percent. The percentage of children and adults with the condition has been increasing over the past decade, according to researchers.

One scientist reported that asthma is the leading chronic reason for children’s absence from school in our area. Obviously, the missed days affect students’ ability to learn and graduate on time. In certain schools that are close to pollution sources, the incidence of asthma can be as high as 25 percent of all children.

Another disturbing topic to consider is the racial disparity in the cases of asthma. LuAnn Brink of the University of Pittsburgh has reported rates for African-Americans that are nearly double the rates for whites. Pollution sources are clustered in areas where many AfricanAmericans live, leading to this disparity.

A hidden source of the condition may be poor indoor air quality. Healthy Schools Pennsylvania reports that half of all school buildings have poor air quality, so industrial pollution is not the only factor in asthma.

Nearly 50 years ago, the modern environmental movement began, and advocacy groups such as Pittsburgh’s Group Against Smog and Pollution were born. Without doubt, there has been progress over the intervening years in reducing pollution. Yet the unacceptable rate of childhood asthma tells us that more progress is needed to ensure a healthy environment for all.