But what has changed enough in the environment to explain spiking asthma rates?

The asthma rate has reached 5 percent in some areas around factories.

Toxic plants are coming in, and the asthma rate is skyrocketing.

It could be a huge help in reducing the city's epidemic asthma rates.

The nation's asthma rate increased to 40.1 cases for 1,000 people from 31.2.

We know, for example, there is a high asthma rate in the Bronx.

They all talk about the need to develop programs that could curb what is one of the highest asthma rates in the city.

She noted that asthma rates are five times the national average.

Nationally, the asthma rate for all ages is 7 percent.

The end result, she said, is that the area has the second-highest asthma rate in the country.