Holy Cross Students Find Link Between Worcester's Asthma Rate and Poverty

WORCESTER, Mass. – Asthma rates nationwide are skyrocketing, with more and more children being diagnosed with the disease annually. Because asthma has been linked to both indoor and outdoor air pollution, urban residents are particularly at risk. Yet, according to research done by three Holy Cross students, there are other factors at play as well.

Holy Cross junior Tom Florino has found that there is a strong correlation between household income and asthma. Using data from the Asthma Regional Council and the Census 2000, Florino estimates that the asthma rate for households in Worcester with an income level under $25,000 is approximately 11.9%. That percentage is an estimated three to four percent higher than in households earning more than $25,000.

Florino is one of three Holy Cross students in Professor Catherine A. Roberts’ Environmental Math course working for the Regional Environmental Council to examine asthma rates in Worcester.

Because individual states do not currently keep records of asthma diagnoses, the students’ qualitative research is an important first step in addressing causes and developing preventative measures.

Jeanne Normand ’05 and Michael McLaughlin ’06 are also working on the project. Normand, who suffers from mild asthma, is particularly interested in examining the causes of the higher numbers of asthma occurrences in the Northeast.

McLaughlin, whose father and sister both have asthma, is working specifically to develop an asthma curriculum to be incorporated into the public school system. He will present a lesson to fifth and sixth graders at the Nativity School in May.

The students will supplement their research with a survey to be distributed at Worcester’s Earth Day activities in Crystal Park (Main Street) on May 2. The survey will include questions on income, age and ethnicity.