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 3b: People at Risk In 25 Most Ozone-Polluted Counties

  At-Risk Groups High Ozone Days in Unhealthy Ranges 2002-2004
2006 Rank1 County ST Total Population2 Under 183 65 and Over3 Pediatric Asthma4,8 Adult Asthma5,8 Chronic Bronchitis6,8 Emphysema7,8 Weighted Avg9 Grade10
1 KERN CA
734,846
224,367
66,154
19,004
39,061
20,617
7,335
115.0
F
2 SAN BERNARDINO CA
1,921,131
590,853
157,655
50,045
101,975
53,378
18,462
109.0
F
3 RIVERSIDE CA
1,871,950
534,328
217,741
45,258
101,805
55,076
21,193
93.2
F
4 TULARE CA
401,502
130,518
37,363
11,055
20,726
11,015
4,011
91.8
F
5 LOS ANGELES CA
9,937,739
2,732,330
988,760
231,428
552,691
294,228
107,900
85.8
F
6 FRESNO CA
866,772
265,454
83,825
22,484
45,996
24,480
8,957
77.7
F
7 MERCED CA
237,005
77,167
21,066
6,536
12,205
6,444
2,293
43.3
F
8 HARRIS TX
3,644,285
1,055,071
274,447
89,365
186,301
103,828
35,198
39.2
F
9 EL DORADO CA
172,889
40,496
20,297
3,430
10,349
5,666
2,286
29.2
F
10 SACRAMENTO CA
1,352,445
367,147
146,673
31,097
75,639
40,699
15,457
25.2
F
11 TARRANT TX
1,588,088
447,160
131,672
37,874
81,991
46,009
15,990
24.8
F
12 NEVADA CA
97,660
19,860
16,613
1,682
6,068
3,483
1,594
22.3
F
13 VENTURA CA
797,699
217,896
84,338
18,456
44,787
24,143
9,248
21.7
F
14 MARIPOSA CA
18,003
3,430
3,124
291
1,130
646
293
21.3
F
15 FAIRFIELD CT
903,291
229,833
117,561
19,467
65,152
28,837
11,942
18.2
F
16 CAMDEN NJ
516,282
135,208
62,718
11,452
32,848
16,101
6,462
17.8
F
16 OCEAN NJ
553,251
128,397
116,654
10,875
36,038
19,099
9,321
17.8
F
18 KINGS CA
142,561
39,811
10,374
3,372
7,801
3,987
1,253
17.2
F
19 PLACER CA
307,004
71,881
42,287
6,088
18,092
10,010
4,137
17.0
F
20 ANNE ARUNDEL MD
508,572
126,463
52,629
10,711
29,911
15,914
6,037
16.8
F
21 HARFORD MD
235,594
61,959
25,210
5,248
13,589
7,282
2,820
16.7
F
22 STANISLAUS CA
498,355
148,528
49,560
12,580
26,808
14,316
5,302
15.8
F
23 FAIRFAX VA
1,003,157
253,602
87,005
21,480
54,779
31,208
11,497
15.3
F
24 NEW HAVEN CT
845,694
200,799
117,972
17,008
62,361
27,556
11,489
14.8
F
24 BLOUNT TN
113,744
24,674
16,160
2,090
7,989
3,817
1,595
14.8
F
24 SEVIER TN
77,270
16,820
10,554
1,425
5,424
2,587
1,070
14.8
F

(1) Counties are ranked by weighted average. See note 11 below.
(2) Total Population represent the at-risk populations in counties with ozone monitors.
(3) Those 18 & under and 65 & over are vulnerable to ozone 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) Adding across rows does not produce valid estimates, i.e. summing pediatric and adult asthma and/or emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
(9) 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.
(10) 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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