This study was focused on children. It found that INDOOR humidity increases did have an effect on asthma. However, it also concludes that altitude and OUTDOOR humidity DO NOT have an effect on asthma rates on children.
"Results: In Western Europe (57 centres in 12 countries), the prevalence of asthma symptoms, assessed by written questionnaire, increased by 2.7% (95% CI 1.0% to 4.5%) with an increase in the estimated annual mean of indoor relative humidity of 10%. Similar associations were seen for the video questionnaire and the younger age group. Altitude and the annual variation of temperature and relative humidity outdoors were negatively associated with asthma symptoms. "
quoted from Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2004 http://oem.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/61/7/609
Flagstaff, AZ has an elevation of 7000 feet. However, when I spent 2 months in Boulder, CO my asthma did not go away. Boulder is at an elevation of 5430 feet. I am currently in Santa Fe, NM, at an elevation of 7,000 feet. It will be interesting to see if my asthma is gone here too. Either Boulder was not high enough if altitude is a factor, or there is some other reason that altitude that is affecting my asthma.
I am trying to get a response from the National Weather Service on official relative humidity (yearly averages) for these cities. Wish me luck in getting a response! As soon as I get the info I will update this table.
*particulates, pollution, chemicals will be looked at separately
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