Data Points: Asthma rates highest among minority populations

Much of the U.S. is in the midst of a record-setting heatwave, with temperatures from California to the mid-Atlantic peaking at 15 to 20 degrees above the norm for days at a time. Last week, some forecasts projected that 80% of the nation would contend with temperatures of 90 or above. Those conditions, especially with high humidity and increased levels of ozone in urban areas, can be particularly harmful for people with asthma, which, along with other respiratory problems, continue to disproportionately affect children of color and those from lower-income families.