May Declared National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.­­­ — May is National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), and Combat-brand pest control helped spread the message. As pest management professionals know, studies have shown that there is a link between cockroach allergen and the exacerbation and even causation of asthma.

“During the past few years, research has shown that cockroach allergens play a big part in the daily lives of asthma sufferers all over the country,” said Gretchen Phillips, a doctor at Fairview Hospitals and a medical show radio host based in Minneapolis.

The link between cockroaches and asthma has been proven in scientific research dating back to the 1970s. Between 78 and 98 percent of urban homes have cockroaches, and 23 to 60 percent of urban residents are allergic to the cockroach allergen, according to the AAFA. Cockroach allergens are is so pervasive in homes around the country, most doctors require patients with persistent asthma to be tested for cockroach allergies, in addition to other environmental factors, such as dust mites, mold and pets.

More than 23 million people in the U.S. suffer from asthma, including 6.5 million children.

Around 63 percent of all U.S. households have a detectable level of the cockroach allergen in the home, according to a 2005 study by The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

“Asthma kills. Even in 2008, people die from asthma,” Phillips said. “I always tell my patients that it is easier to prevent problems than to recover from them.”