Here Are the Maine Towns Most Likely To See Asthma Emergencies and Hospitalizations

According to Maine Public Health, Maine has some of the highest asthma rates in the nation with 1 in 9 Mainers having asthma as opposed to the national average of 1 in 12.

Information in the data portal shows that those ages 25 to 34 are most likely to be admitted to an ER for asthma emergencies here in the State of Maine. Adding to this data, women were more likely to be admitted to the ER for asthma emergencies in all Maine counties with the exception of Lincoln county which saw more men than women admitted.

Maine towns with the most asthma emergencies and hospitalizations are seen here in this map based on information from 2016 to 2020. These maps shows higher rates of asthma emergencies throughout the State in specific Maine towns,

ER visits were most likely seen in these Maine towns based on the data:

• Androscoggin: Auburn, Lewiston, Lisbon, Livermore Falls, Mechanic Falls, Sabattus
• Aroostook County: Caribou,  Eagle Lake, Frenchville, Hodgdon, Houlton, Island Falls, Littleton, Mattawamkeag, Monticello, New Limerick, New Sweden, Presque Isle, Smyrna, Stockholm, Westfield
• Cumberland County: Bridgton, Brunswick, Casco, Gray, Gorham, Harpswell, Harrison, Naples, New Gloucester, Portland, Raymond, Scarborough, Sebago, South Portland, Westbrook, Windham
• Franklin: Carthage, Chesterville, Eustis, Farmington, Industry, Jay, Kingfield, New Sharon, Phillips, Rangeley, Strong, Temple, Weld, Wilton
• Hancock: Brooklin, Eastbrook, Ellsworth, Lamoine, Stonington, Sullivan, Surry, Trenton, Waltham
• Kennebec: Albion, Augusta, Belgrade, Benton, Chelsea, Clinton, Gardiner, Manchester, Oakland, Randolph, Readfield, Vassalboro, Waterville, Windsor, Winslow
• Knox:  Appleton, Cushing, Friendship, Hope, Rockland, Rockport, Owls Head, South Thomaston, Thomaston, Union, Warren, Washington
• Lincoln: Alna, Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Damariscotta, Dresden, Edgecomb, Jefferson, Newcastle, Nobleboro, Somerville, Waldoboro, Wiscasset,
• Oxford: Dixfield, Hanover, Mexico, Milton Township, Norway, Oxford, Paris, Roxbury, Rumford, West Paris, Woodstock
• Penobscot: East Millinocket, Lincoln, Mattawamkeag, Medway, Millinocket, Passadumkeag, Plymouth, Springfield,
• Piscataquis: Dover-Foxcroft, Greenville, Guilford, Milo, Parkman
• Sagadahoc: Bath
• Somerset: Anson, Athens, Bingham, Cambridge, Canaan, Cornville, Detroit, Fairfield, Harmony, Hartland, Madison, Norridgewock, Palmyra, Pittsfield, Skowhegan
• Waldo: Belfast, Belmont, Brooks, Burnham, Frankfort, Freedom, Palermo, Stockton Springs, Searsport, Thorndike, Waldo
• Washington: Addison, Alexander, Baileyville, Baring Plantation, Beals, Calais, Cherryfield, Columbia, Columbia Falls, Cutler, East Machias, Eastport, Harrington, Jonesboro, Machias, Perry, Princeton
• York: Alfred, Arundel, Biddeford, Hollis, Kennebunk, Limerick, Lyman, Old Orchard Beach, Saco, Sanford, Waterboro, Wells, York

Hospitalizations due to asthma events are far fewer but most prevalent in these Maine towns:

• Androscoggin: Auburn, Greene, Lewiston, Lisbon, Mechanic Falls, Minot, Poland
• Aroostook: Caribou, Frenchville, Houlton, New Sweden, Van Buren, Woodland
• Cumberland: Baldwin, Bridgton, Brunswick, Cape Elizabeth, Casco, Cumberland, Falmouth, Freeport, Gorham, Gray, Harpswell, Harrison, Naples, New Gloucester, North Yarmouth, Portland, Raymond, Scarborough, Sebago, South Portland, Standish, Westbrook, Windham, Yarmouth
• Franklin: Chesterville, Farmington
• Hancock: NONE LISTED
• Kennebec: Augusta, Belgrade, China, Clinton, Gardiner, Manchester, Mount Vernon, Oakland, Windsor
• Knox: Cushing, Friendship, Hope, South Thomaston, Thomaston, Union, Washington
• Lincoln: Edgecomb, Somerville
• Oxford: Mexico, Rumford
• Penobscot: Alton, Bangor, Brewer, Clifton, Corinth, East Millinocket, Garland, Hermon, Howland, Levant, Mattawamkeag, Medway, Milford, Millinocket,   Newburgh, Newport, Old Town, Orrington, Patten, Plymouth
• Piscataquis: Brownville, Dover-Foxcroft, Milo
• Sagadahoc: Bath, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Georgetown, Phippsburg, Topsham
• Somerset: Anson, Athens, Bingham, Cornville, Embden, Fairfield, Harmony, Madison, Norridgewock, Palmyra, Pittsfield, Skowhegan
• Waldo: Brooks, Frankfort, Palermo, Stockton Springs
• Washington: Addison, Baileyville, Cherryfield, Eastport, Harrington, Lubec, Milbridge, Perry
• York:  Acton, Alfred, Biddeford, Dayton, Kennebunkport, Limerick, Sanford, York

The good news is that admittance and hospitalizations for asthma-related emergencies have gone down steadily since 2001 here in the State of Maine.

Maine Tracking Network online info

The State of Maine has a tracking network that keeps up-to-date information available online regarding health and environment here in the state. Different categories of information include birth outcomes, cancer, lead poisoning, and tickborne diseases among other categories.

The information available specifically related to asthma includes emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and adult prevalence. We can see a breakdown of this information that also includes the town and counties associated with this data.

Asthma resources for Mainers

The Maine CDC have a webpage dedicated to stats of Mainers with asthma and how Mainers can learn to control their asthma. A self-managment program is available that provides education about what asthma is, understanding medication, and how to avoid asthma triggers. Find more at the Maine CDC webpage 'Learn to Control Your Asthma' at Maine.gov.