Any Asthmatics here? (Honolulu, Hilo: school, university, moving to)

[Carlos777]

I am considering moving to Hawaii, but...I would like more info in regards to asthma. Has anyone any personal experience with the subject, as it relates to Big Island atmosphere? I have suffered with asthma in the past, due to dog hair, dust, etc.

Thanks.

[CyberCity]

A concern is the vog, which surprisingly so far has not been shown to be the threat that one might assume. There is info online, including these links:

This Hawaii Dept of Health website has tons of info.

Here is a "State of Asthma Hawaii 2010" report.

This article talks about vog and includes asthma info. It states, "On the other hand, Dr. Elizabeth Tam, from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, studied 2,000 Big Island children and asthma for three years and found the Big Island’s windward side, the part of the island with the least amount of vog, has more kids with asthma. That research showed tobacco smoke to be more strongly correlated with asthma than vog". Her studies seem to indicate that there is correlation between the wet areas [windward] having more mold, and thus more asthma.

This 2008 article speaks about vog and asthma.

Side note: of course, smoking and second-hand smoke exposure is the biggie, and Hawaii Island has many protective laws to help decrease that exposure.

[Carlos777]

Thanks. I appreciate your response, very intelligent response.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

On the Hilo side, the damp is going to be an issue. Molds and mildews have a bad effect on asthma and in a damp climate, you have to really keep on top of molds and mildews.

Some asthmatics have a problem with high humidity. Just all the water molecules in the air will trigger an attack.

However, the only way to really know is to spent a few months in Hawaii and see how well you can breathe.