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April 19, 2003
1 in 4 kids in Harlem has asthma
According to the Associated Press:
A study conducted by the Harlem Hospital Center found that one of every four children in Harlem has asthma, double the rate researchers expected and one of the highest rates recorded for a neighborhood in the nation.The findings indicate that asthma cases are more frequent among the urban poor than previously thought.
The Harlem Hospital data shows that further blanket testing would indicate that ''the rates might be much higher than suspected in any number of inner-city neighborhoods around the country,'' Dr. Stephen Nicholas told The New York Times in Saturday editions.
Dr. Nicholas led the project, an effort by Harlem Hospital Center and Harlem Children's Zone along with several other agencies and organizations. The study found that 25.5 percent of the children in a 24-block area in the neighborhood have the disease.
Asthma researchers have said they do not know of a well-documented level of the affliction above 20 percent in the United States.
This story should not be such a suprise to the medical community. Organizations such as West Harlem Envirinmental Action, Inc. have been talking about the problems caused by environmental racism in New YorK City for years. In particular, the location of most MTA diesel bus depots, DOT diesel truck depots, and department of sanitation facilities and incinerators in minority neighborhoods simply can not be denied. Here is a map of Manhattan island courtesy of WE ACT, showing the number of children under five who have been hospitalized for asthma in Harlem and Manhattan. Notice the low rate of asthma hospitalizations, and lack of any polluting facilities, on the upper east side, upper west side, and in the financial district:
Posted by Mike at April 19, 2003 01:10 PM
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