Skip to main content
Log in

Weather patterns and asthma epidemics in New York City and New Orleans, U.S.A.

  • Published:
International Journal of Biometeorology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Twenty-five years of data on asthmatic attacks in New Orleans (covering approximately 170,000 asthma attacks) have been analyzed to identify “asthma epidemic” days, defined as days on which an unusually high number of asthmatic individuals had attacks. Similar data covering three years was obtained for New York City. A preliminary examination of detailed meteoroligical data revealed a consistent meteorological pattern preceding and associated with such “asthma epidemic” days which consisted of a cold front preceding an asthma epidemic by one to three days followed by a high pressure system. The significance of these meteorological findings and their relationship to other environmental agents such as natural or man-made atmospheric pollutants that are likely to be associated with asthma attacks will be discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • BOOTH, S., DEGROPT, I., MARKUSH, R. and HORTON, J. (1965): Detection of asthma episodes in seven cities. Arch. Environ. Hlth., 10: 152–155.

    Google Scholar 

  • CHANG, W. W. Y. (1972): Pollen survey. In: Allergic Diseases — Diagnosis and Management. R. Patterson (ed.), Lippincott, Philadelphia, pp. 649.

    Google Scholar 

  • DERRIK, E. H. (1965): The seasonal variation of asthma in Brisbane: Its relation to temperature and humidity. Int. J. Biometeor., 9: 239–251.

    Google Scholar 

  • DERRIK, E. H. (1966): The annual variation of asthma in Brisbane: Its relation to the weather. Int. J. Biometeor., 10: 91–99.

    Google Scholar 

  • DERRIK, E. H. (1972): Asthma and the Brisbane climate. Aust. N.Z. J. Med., 2: 235–246.

    Google Scholar 

  • DERRIK, E. H. THATCHER, R. H. and TRAPPET, L. G. (1960): The seasonal distribution of hospital admissions for asthma in Brisbane. Aust. Ann. Med., 9: 180–187.

    Google Scholar 

  • DHEW PUBLICATION (1973): Respiratory Diseases: Task Force Report on Problems, Research Approaches, Needs. No. 73: 432. Washington, D.S. USA.

  • GOLDSTEIN, I. (1978): Evaluation of research strategies for investigation of health effects of air pollution. Bull. N.Y. Acad. Med., 54: 1119–1131.

    Google Scholar 

  • GOLDSTEIN, I. F. and ARTHUR, S. (1978): Asthma Alley; A space clustering study of asthma in Brooklyn, New York City. J. Asthma Res., 15: 81–93.

    Google Scholar 

  • GOLDSTEIN, I. F. and LANDOVITZ, L. (1975): Sulfur dioxide: harmful pollutant or air quality indicator? J. Air Poll. Con. Ass., 25: 1195.

    Google Scholar 

  • GOLDSTEIN, I. F. and LANDOVITZ, L. (1977a): Analysis of air pollution patterns in New York City: 1: Can one station represent the large metropolitan area? Atmosph. Environ., 2: 47–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • GOLDSTEIN, I. F. and LANDOVITZ, L. (1977b): Analysis of air pollution patterns in New York City: 11. Can one aerometric station represent the area surrounding it? Atmosph. Environ., 2: 53–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • GOLDSTEIN, I. F., and RAUSCH., L. (1978): Time series analysis of morbidity data for assessment of acute environmental health effects. Environ. Res., 17: 266–275.

    Google Scholar 

  • GOLDSTEIN, I. F., LANDOVITS L., and BLOCK, G. (1974): Air pollution patterns of New York City. J. Air Poll. Con. Ass., 24: 148–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • GOLDSTEIN, I. F. GOLDSTEIN, M., and LANDOVITZ, L. (1977): The relation of air pollution to mortality. J. Occup. Med., 19: 375.

    Google Scholar 

  • GORDIS, L. (1973): Epidemiology of Chronic Lung Diseases in Children. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, pp. 137.

    Google Scholar 

  • GREENBURG, L. and FIELD, F. (1965): Air pollution and asthma. J. Asthma Res., 2: 195–198.

    Google Scholar 

  • GREENBURG, L., FIELD, F., REED, J. I., and ERHARDT, C. L. (1964): Asthma and temperature change. Arch environ. Hlth., 8: 642–647.

    Google Scholar 

  • GREENBURG, L., ERHARDT., C. L. FIELD, F., and REED, J. I. (1965): Air pollution incidents and morbidity studies. Arch. environ. Hlth., 10: 351–356.

    Google Scholar 

  • SALVAGGIO, J., SEABURY, J., and SCHOENHARD, E. A. (1971): New Orleans asthma. V. Relationship between charity hospital asthma admission rates, semiquantitative pollen and fungal spores count, and total particulate aerometric sampling data. J. Allergy, 48: 96–114.

    Google Scholar 

  • SALVAGGIO, J., HASSLEBLAD, V., SEABURG, J., and HEIDERSCHEIT, L. T. (1960): New Orleans Asthma 11, Relationship of climatologic and seasonal factors to outbreaks. J. Allergy, 45: 257–265.

    Google Scholar 

  • SOLOMON, W. R. and MATHEWS, K. P. (1978): Aerobiology and inhalant allergens. In: Allergy: Principles and Practice. E. Middleton, Jr., C. E. Reed and E. F. Ellis (ed.). Mosby, St. Louis, pp. 899.

    Google Scholar 

  • WEIL, H., ZISKIND, N. M. DEBES, V., HORTON, R. J. and DICKERSON, R. C. (1965): Recent developments in New Orleans asthma. Arch. environ. Hlth., 10: 148–151.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Goldstein, I.F. Weather patterns and asthma epidemics in New York City and New Orleans, U.S.A.. Int J Biometeorol 24, 329–339 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02250575

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02250575

Keywords

Navigation