American Lung Association American Lung Association State of the Air 2006--Protect the Air You Breathe
American Lung Association State of the Air 2006

Table 3: People at Risk In 25 Counties Most Polluted by Short-Term Particle Pollution (24-Hour PM2.5)

  At-Risk Groups High PM2.5 Days in Unhealthy Ranges 2002-2004
2006 Rank1 County ST Total Population2 Under 183 65 and Over3 Pediatric Asthma4,10 Adult Asthma5,10 Chronic Bronchitis6,10 Emphysema7,10 CV Disease8 Diabetes9 Weighted Avg.11 Grade12
1 RIVERSIDE CA
1,871,950
534,328
217,741
45,258
101,805
55,076
21,193
424,140
88,859
54.8
F
2 KERN CA
734,846
224,367
66,154
19,004
39,061
20,617
7,335
152,897
31,861
42.7
F
3 FRESNO CA
866,772
265,454
83,825
22,484
45,996
24,480
8,957
184,033
38,496
40.0
F
4 LOS ANGELES CA
9,937,739
2,732,330
988,760
231,428
552,691
294,228
107,900
2,227,574
465,287
39.7
F
5 ALLEGHENY PA
1,250,867
267,531
215,799
22,660
86,088
43,299
19,545
367,940
78,994
39.5
F
6 SALT LAKE UT
935,295
277,596
76,966
23,512
52,612
26,269
8,986
191,326
39,595
23.8
F
7 SAN BERNARDINO CA
1,921,131
590,853
157,655
50,045
101,975
53,378
18,462
390,748
81,249
21.8
F
8 CACHE UT
97,467
29,867
7,416
2,530
5,435
2,602
815
17,772
3,607
18.5
F
9 ORANGE CA
2,987,591
796,815
309,791
67,490
168,504
90,221
33,759
692,672
145,112
18.3
F
10 LANE OR
331,594
70,840
45,402
6,000
24,883
11,081
4,537
89,218
18,956
16.5
F
11 KLAMATH OR
65,098
15,890
9,927
1,346
4,652
2,147
940
17,920
3,852
15.8
F
12 SACRAMENTO CA
1,352,445
367,147
146,673
31,097
75,639
40,699
15,457
314,162
65,910
15.2
F
13 UTAH UT
403,352
137,898
25,934
11,680
21,401
10,084
3,002
67,027
13,514
12.7
F
14 CUYAHOGA OH
1,351,009
327,852
205,816
27,769
86,470
44,413
19,309
369,684
79,015
12.0
F
15 TULARE CA
401,502
130,518
37,363
11,055
20,726
11,015
4,011
82,489
17,265
11.5
F
16 BALTIMORE CITY MD
636,251
160,677
79,074
13,609
37,160
19,992
7,980
158,135
33,518
10.5
F
17 KINGS CA
142,561
39,811
10,374
3,372
7,801
3,987
1,253
27,664
5,627
9.7
F
18 SAN DIEGO CA
2,931,714
757,564
324,998
64,166
166,491
89,461
33,791
686,222
143,849
9.0
F
19 NEW HAVEN CT
845,694
200,799
117,972
17,008
62,361
27,556
11,489
223,876
47,643
8.8
F
19 WAYNE MI
2,016,202
559,268
234,849
47,370
120,639
61,309
24,356
486,553
102,901
8.8
F
19 UNION NJ
531,957
136,245
68,742
11,540
34,068
16,801
6,867
135,339
28,695
8.8
F
22 JEFFERSON AL
658,495
158,291
88,434
13,407
43,214
21,304
8,779
172,546
36,598
8.7
F
23 STANISLAUS CA
498,355
148,528
49,560
12,580
26,808
14,316
5,302
108,591
22,752
8.2
F
23 JEFFERSON KY
700,030
167,514
93,471
14,188
43,835
22,714
9,366
184,212
39,112
8.2
F
25 CONTRA COSTA CA
1,009,144
261,015
113,985
22,108
58,009
31,544
12,432
250,153
53,055
8.0
F
25 HAMILTON OH
814,611
202,699
110,223
17,169
51,954
26,082
10,801
211,000
44,886
8.0
F
25 JEFFERSON OH
71,420
14,415
13,279
1,221
4,784
2,547
1,186
22,050
4,759
8.0
F

(1) Counties are ranked by weighted average. See note 9 below.
(2) Total Population represent the at-risk populations in counties with PM2.5 monitors.
(3) Those 18 & under and 65 & over are vulnerable to PM2.5 and are therefore included. They should not be used as population denominators for disease estimates.
(4) Pediatric asthma estimates are for those under 18 years of age and represent the estimated number of people who had asthma in 2004 based on national rates (NHIS) applied to county
population estimates (US Census).
(5) Adult asthma estimates are for those 18 years and older and represent the estimated number of people who had asthma during 2004 based on state rates (BRFSS) applied to county population
estimates (US Census).
(6) Chronic bronchitis estimates are for adults 18 and over who had been diagnosed within 2004 based on national rates (NHIS) applied to county population estimates (US Census).
(7) Emphysema estimates are for adults 18 and over who have been diagnosed within their lifetime based on national rates (NHIS) applied to county population estimates (US Census).
(8) CV disease estimates are based on American Heart Association estimates of cardiovascular disease applied to county populations.
(9) Diabetes estimates are for adults 18 and over who have been diagnosed within their lifetime based on national rates (NHIS) applied to county population estimates (US Census).
(10) Adding across rows does not produce valid estimates, i.e. summing pediatric and adult asthma and/or emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
(11) The weighted average was derived by counting the number of days in each unhealthful range (orange, red, purple) in each year (2002-2004), multiplying the total in each range by the
assigned standard weights (i.e., 1 for orange, 1.5 for red, 2.0 for purple), and calculating the average.
(12) Grades are assigned by weighted average as follows: A=0.0, B=0.3-0.9, C=1.0-2.0, D=2.1-3.2, F=3.3+.

Tables continued...



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