Researchers tackle asthma hotspot: Seattle’s Duwamish Valley

Where air pollution goes, asthma is likely to follow.

Seattle’s Duwamish Valley has some of the worst air pollution in Western Washington. The valley also has twice the poverty rate of Seattle and is mostly people of color.

People living in the 98108, the ZIP code that includes the Duwamish Valley and Beacon Hill, are nearly four times more likely to end up in the hospital with asthma than King County residents overall, according to University of Washington epidemiologist Anjum Hajat.

“There are tremendous inequities in terms of asthma and many other health outcomes,” Hajat said.

Researchers from the University of Washington and the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition hope to lower the valley’s exceptional rates of childhood asthma.

They’re giving 80 Duwamish Valley families low-cost box fans with air filters attached to clean up their indoor air.