Asthma in Charlotte is a big problem. We want to hear from you.
Asthma is a big problem in Charlotte, afflicting 1 in 10 students in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, representing the system’s No. 1 chronic disease.
And rates are up to 25% higher in Black and brown communities than white areas, former Mayor Jennifer Roberts said at the Carolinas Climate Summit in April, citing figures from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Wealthier white communities have a high incidence of the respiratory condition, too — eight or 10 of every 100 residents, according to the CDC.
The Charlotte Observer wants to speak with families of children who have asthma to learn how they deal with the condition and whether it affects their learning and attendance.
Contact reporter Joe Marusak at 704-230-6295; jmarusak@charlotteobserver.com
We’d be happy to speak by phone or in person, and we might want to include your family in upcoming news coverage of asthma.