Orlando tops the list of cities with the highest search rate for allergy-related terms, followed by Pensacola and Miami, according to a study by mold removal experts FDP Mold Remediation.
The study by mold removal experts FDP Mold Remediation analyzed Google search data on a range of terms that people suffering with allergies are likely to use, such as “allergy medicine”, “mold allergy symptoms”, “cetirizine”, “symptoms of black mold exposure”, and “allergy test”.
The analysis was conducted across the 59 most populated cities and towns in Florida to discover where rates were highest, and people were suffering the most.
Read: Mold No More: Eliminate The Damp From Your Home
The study revealed that Orlando topped the list as the most allergic city in Florida, as its residents log an estimated 9,497 searches every month for the allergy terms included in the study. Compared to the city’s population of around 316,000, that equates to an average of 3,004 searches per 100,000 people every month – the highest rate in Florida.
Florida’s second most allergic city is Pensacola, as there are around 1,529 allergy-related searches in the area every month, which translates to 2,838 searches per 100,000 people (based on 53,000 residents). Pensacola ranked as the city with the highest level of searches for cetirizine – the antihistamine medicine that helps the symptoms of allergies.
Miami sits in third place for its rate of allergy searches. As the second largest city in Florida, its residents generated the most searches overall for allergy-related terms, with a monthly average of more than 12,000 searches. Compared to the city’s population of 449,000, Miami has the third highest rate of searches at 2,828 per 100,000 people every month.
The study found Bradenton to be Florida’s fourth most allergic city, with a rate of 2,656 searches per 100,000 people.
Kissimmee takes fifth spot in the ranking of Florida’s most allergic cities. There are 2,545 searches for allergy terms per 100,000 people in the Osceola County city.
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The top ten was rounded out by Melbourne, Sarasota, Ocala, Fort Myers and Wellington
Commenting on the study, Gayle A. Baldwin, CEO of FDP Mold Remediation, said: “This data offers a fascinating indication of which parts of Florida might be suffering from allergies more than others. People commonly associate allergies with things like pollen, certain foods, or animals, but it’s important to recognize the dangers of mold allergies, about which the public is often less aware.
“Mold can be particularly dangerous for children, and it thrives in damp, warm environments, which makes Florida particularly prone to the issue. Mold can be difficult to detect in the home, and also difficult to remove – trying to do so yourself runs the risk of releasing more mold spores into the air and actually worsening the problem.
“Mold can also exacerbate other allergies, especially for people who are already sensitive to airborne irritants like dust mites or pet dander. Medicines can only treat the symptoms of mold exposure, so when it comes to problems with fungus in the home, seeking professional advice is often the best course of action.”
The study also revealed that the Florida city with the lowest rate of searches for allergy-related terms is Cape Coral, with just 417 monthly searches per 100,000 people – a rate more than seven times lower than Orlando at the top of the list. The other cities in the bottom five were Palm Coast, North Port, Port St. Lucie and Palm Bay
On a wider level, across the 59 cities in the study, the research found more than 104,000 searches per month for the 41 allergy-related terms analyzed.
The study was conducted by FDP Mold Remediation, which specializes in professional mold remediation services to eliminate mold and prevent future infestations.
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