Women with Asthma: Which States Are the Best and Worst?

Women and Asthma: Which States Are the Best and Worst?

Women in New England are more likely to have asthma than just about anywhere else in America.

By Cynthia Ramnarace - March 26, 2013

Photo Credit: iVillage

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Asthma doesn’t just affect how we breathe -- it also affects our quality of life. Women with uncontrolled asthma are more likely to sleep poorly, miss work and have to skip the gym.

Vermont has the highest rate of women with asthma in the country. Fellow New England states Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire also have lots of women suffering from the wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath that come with asthma.

Why is asthma more common in New England? More research is needed before we know for sure, but changing climate along with poor indoor air quality and workplace conditions are the leading suspects.

Here’s how the states rank for asthma: #1 is where it's easiest to breathe while #50 has the highest rate of asthma. Each number represents the percentage of women who were diagnosed with asthma.

Rank	State	%
1	Tennessee	7.3
2	Louisiana	7.6
3	South Dakota	8.1
4	Iowa	9
5	Mississippi	9.3
5	North Dakota	9.3
5	West Virginia	9.3
8	California	9.4
8	Nebraska	9.4
10	Georgia	9.5
10	Minnesota	9.5
12	North Carolina	9.6
12	Texas	9.6
14	South Carolina	9.8
15	Florida	10
16	Arkansas	10.1
16	Idaho	10.1
18	Kansas	10.3
19	Maryland	10.4
20	Alabama	10.6
20	Wisconsin	10.6
22	Montana	10.7
23	New Jersey	10.8
24	Missouri	10.9
25	New Mexico	11.1
25	Utah	11.1
27	Connecticut	11.3
27	Oklahoma	11.3
27	Virginia	11.3
30	Illinois	11.6
31	Colorado	11.7
31	Indiana	11.7
31	Oregon	11.7
31	Wyoming	11.7
35	Nevada	11.9
35	Washington	11.9
37	New York	12
37	Ohio	12
37	Pennsylvania	12
40	Delaware	12.1
40	Hawaii	12.1
42	Arizona	12.4
43	Kentucky	12.6
43	Michigan	12.6
45	Massachusetts	12.9
45	New Hampshire	12.9
47	Maine	13
48	Alaska	13.7
49	Rhode Island	13.9
50	Vermont	14.1

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010

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