Feb 2, 2025 Story by: Editor
For individuals living with asthma, an attack can range from a mild episode to a life-threatening emergency. However, access to effective treatment and preventive care is not the same for everyone.
The Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition is striving to bridge this gap by collaborating with regional experts. Their recent Air Quality and Asthma Awareness Luncheon aimed to educate the community on the prevalent risk factors in the area and provide strategies to minimize exposure.
“It’s about where people live, the structural things around communities they have, around the things they have access to, whether factories are there,” said Yvonka Hall, the coalition’s executive director. “Those types of things play directly into our asthma rates.”
Asthma, like many chronic health conditions, disproportionately affects minority communities. In Mahoning County, Black adults are four times more likely to die from asthma and over seven times more likely to be hospitalized due to asthma-related complications compared to White adults.
According to data from the Ohio Department of Health, collected between 2016 and 2021, Mahoning County residents experience asthma at rates higher than both the state and national averages.
Hall pointed out that various environmental and household factors contribute to asthma triggers, including living in older homes, mold infestations, and exposure to pet allergens. Outdoor air quality also plays a significant role in exacerbating asthma symptoms.
“The air quality on most days is much higher here,” Hall noted.
By raising awareness and advocating for improved environmental conditions, the Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition hopes to address these disparities and promote better respiratory health for vulnerable populations. Source: WFMJ
