New NAACP Analysis Reveals Asthma Hotspots Nationwide, Black Americans Twice as Likely to Die from Condition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 23, 2026
Contact: Communications@naacpnet.org 

A ZIP code should not determine the quality of air you breathe, the Association calls for action to clear the air

WASHINGTON  — The NAACP today unveiled a new national analysis highlighting the impact of asthma in cities on communities across the United States, revealing how varying air quality leads to persistent respiratory health outcomes. Through an interactive StoryMap, the Association is calling attention to asthma hotspots in major metropolitan areas with significant Black populations and urging policymakers, health leaders, and communities to take action to create healthier environments where everyone can breathe clean air.

The analysis underscores a troubling reality: Asthma outcomes are often shaped long before a patient enters a doctor's office. The ZIP codes where residents flagged an air problem average a 12.4% adult asthma rate, 2.3 percentage points above the average adult asthma rate (10.1%). 

Black Americans are five times more likely to end up in the ER for asthma and die at twice the rate of white Americans due to asthma.

In New York City, for example, the groundbreaking analysis found that asthma rates spike in the Bronx. The Bronx, which is home to America's poorest congressional district (NY15), is also the only borough in NYC with an overwhelmingly non-white majority population across nearly all of its neighborhoods.

"Asthma is often treated as an individual medical condition, but the data tells a much bigger story," said Dr. Chris Pernell, Director of the NAACP Director of Health Equity. "For too many Black families, asthma is the result of environmental conditions that have gone unaddressed for decades, from poor air quality and aging housing stock to chronic stress and limited access to resources. This is both a public health crisis and an environmental justice crisis. Every person deserves access to clean air, and every community deserves investments to support healthy lives. Your ZIP code should not decide the air you breathe." 

Using findings from the ACE Your Health Community Wellness Survey, conducted in partnership with Sanofi, and which gathered insights from nearly 23,000 respondents across 47 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, the StoryMap visualizes how environmental and community conditions intersect with health outcomes, such as air quality and asthma, in metropolitan areas with significant Black populations. 

"Advancing respiratory health means helping communities understand how the world around them influences every breath they take. This analysis makes those connections visible, showing how environmental and social conditions can contribute to asthma burdens in communities across the country, said Tanisha M. Sullivan, Head, External Engagement & Health Equity Strategy, Sanofi. "StoryMaps such as this translate data into understanding and understanding into action, so that more families can live, learn, work, and thrive in healthier environments."

While asthma is common everywhere, some communities are more burdened than others. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tracks air quality with over 5,000 active monitors, measuring fine particle pollution and showing that some areas' pollutant levels exceed the national health standard. 

• Houston, TX – Asthma rates are highest in the east and south sides.
• Atlanta, GA – Asthma rates cluster to the south and west of downtown.
• Detroit, MI – The city carries a widespread, elevated asthma burden across the region. 
• Charlotte, NC – Asthma rates rise in the Historic North End and Historic West End. 
• New York, NY – Asthma rates are the heaviest in the Bronx.
• Philadelphia, PA – West Philadelphia has the highest rate of asthma across the state's communities. 

"Data becomes most powerful when people can see themselves and their communities reflected," said Clinton Johnson, Chief Visionary Officer of Us At Spaces LLC. "This StoryMap brings together environmental indicators, public datasets, and insights from more than 23,000 community voices to create a more complete picture of asthma's impact across America. For the first time, users can explore asthma-related data from major U.S. cities while viewing community experiences alongside environmental information, creating a powerful visualization of how place influences health."

Asthma sends more than a million people to the emergency room every year, and it falls hardest on Black communities. The NAACP has provided recommendations and resources designed to provide individuals with tools to better understand Asthma triggers and recommends the following: 

1. Understand Asthma: including the different types, management strategies, and tips for living well. 
2. Take action in your life and community through the NAACP ACE Your Health Resources
3. Help us put your community on the map by sharing your ZIP code. 

This StoryMap is part of the ACE Your Health Initiative, a collaboration between the NAACP and Sanofi, a global pharmaceutical company. The initiative seeks to advance health equity by examining the social, environmental, and structural factors that influence community well-being. This is the second issue of StoryMaps that visualize data from the ACE Your Health Community Wellness Survey Report. By equipping advocates, policymakers, health professionals, and residents with accessible data and actionable insights, the initiative aims to help communities identify solutions that improve air quality, strengthen housing conditions, and reduce preventable health disparities. Click here to view the StoryMap or here to learn more about the ACE Your Health Initiative. 

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About NAACP 

The NAACP advocates, agitates, and litigates for the civil rights due to Black America. Our legacy is built on the foundation of grassroots activism by the biggest civil rights pioneers of the 20th century and is sustained by 21st-century activists. From classrooms and courtrooms to city halls and Congress, our network of members across the country works to secure the social and political power that will end race-based discrimination. That work is rooted in racial equity, civic engagement, and supportive policies and institutions for all marginalized people. We are committed to a world without racism where Black people enjoy equitable opportunities in thriving communities. 

NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF - was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but now operates as a completely separate entity. 

About Sanofi

Sanofi is an R&D driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to improving people's lives and delivering compelling growth. We apply our deep understanding of the immune system to invent medicines and vaccines that treat and protect millions of people around the world, with an innovative pipeline that could benefit millions more. Our team is guided by one purpose: we chase the miracles of science to improve people's lives; this inspires us to drive progress and deliver positive impact for our people and the communities we serve, by addressing the most urgent healthcare, environmental, and societal challenges of our time. 

About ACE Your Health Initiative 

Launched in 2024, the ACE Your Health initiative is a collaboration between the NAACP and the bio pharmaceutical company Sanofi designed to help advance health equity in respiratory and chronic health, and increase community trust and fluency in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence tools.