Health officials say adults and children with asthma in southeastern New Mexico are more likely to visit the emergency room or be hospitalized than asthma patients in other parts of the state.
The statistics are included in a report released this week by the New Mexico Department of Health.
The report shows the rate of asthma emergency department visits in the southeast region was 62.7 per 10,000 from 2010 to 2012.
The northwest region had the next highest rate at 41.1 per 10,000.
The report also shows adults and children from the southeast region are no more likely to have asthma than people elsewhere in New Mexico.
Officials say health surveys show the region also has the highest prevalence of obesity and smoking, which can make asthma difficult to control.
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