Bolton Ranked #1 in List of UK’s Allergy-Prone Cities

A new study has identified the UK cities most affected by allergies, with Bolton emerging as the most allergy-prone location. The research highlights significant regional variations in allergy-related search behaviour, suggesting that some cities are particularly susceptible to allergy-related issues.

Conducted by thermal imaging experts Tester.co.uk, the study analysed average monthly search volumes for a range of allergy-related terms, such as ‘asthma attack’, ‘allergy testing near me’, and ‘antihistamine tablets’. The data reveals that Bolton leads the list with an average monthly search volume of 3,428 per 100,000 people, indicating a high level of allergy concerns among its residents.

In Bolton, the most frequently searched term is ‘hives rash’, with 890 searches per month. The terms ‘antihistamine’ and ‘asthma’ also feature prominently, reflecting the city’s significant allergy burden.

Croydon ranks second with an average search volume of 3,249 per 100,000 people. The term ‘hay fever’ is notably prevalent, with 296 searches per month, following ‘antihistamine’ and ‘hives rash’.

Lincoln comes in third, with an average monthly search volume of 2,837 per 100,000 people. In this East Midlands city, the term ‘pollen count’ is frequently searched, alongside ‘antihistamine’ and ‘hives rash’.

Manchester, with 2,709 average monthly searches, is the fourth most allergy-prone city. The term ‘pollen’ is the second most searched-for term in the city, with 1,103 searches, preceded by ‘antihistamine’ and followed by ‘hives rash’.

Bath, located in the West of England, ranks fifth with an average search volume of 2,583 per 100,000 people. The antihistamine ‘cetirizine’ ranks third among the most searched terms, following ‘antihistamine’ and ‘hives rash’.

Bristol, with a search volume of 2,515 per 100,000 people, ranks sixth. The most searched term in the city is ‘asthma’, coming after ‘cetirizine’, ‘hay fever’, ‘antihistamine’, and ‘hives rash’.

Peterborough is seventh with 2,493 average monthly searches. In this Eastern city, ‘hay fever symptoms’ is the fifth most searched term, following ‘asthma’, ‘cetirizine’, ‘antihistamine’, and ‘hives rash’.

Norwich, Leeds, and Stockport follow in the eighth, ninth, and tenth positions, respectively, with average search volumes of 2,425, 2,389, and 2,351 per 100,000 people.

Conversely, Oxford is identified as the least allergy-prone city in the UK. With an average monthly search volume of just 402 per 100,000 people, Oxford’s residents search least frequently for allergy-related terms. The term ‘loratadine’ is the fifth most searched term, with only 26 searches per month.

Derby ranks second in the least allergy-prone category, with a search volume of 412 per 100,000 people. Here, ‘lactose intolerance’ is the fifth most popular term, following ‘asthma’, ‘cetirizine’, ‘antihistamine’, and ‘hives rash’.

Kingston upon Hull and Cardiff tie for third place among the least allergy-prone cities, with each city showing an average monthly search volume of 527 per 100,000 people. Nottingham follows in fourth place with 586 searches per 100,000 people, while Birkenhead rounds out the top five least allergy-prone cities with 627 searches per 100,000 people.

Table 1: The most allergy-prone U.K. cities 

Barry Atkins, CEO of Tester.co.uk, commented on the findings: “Allergies, whether triggered by pollen, pets, or food, are a significant concern across the UK. This study underscores the cities most affected, with Bolton leading the list. ‘Hives rash’ emerges as the most common symptom, while searches for treatments like ‘antihistamine’ and ‘cetirizine’ reflect widespread efforts to manage allergy symptoms.”

The study sheds light on the varying levels of allergy-related concerns across different cities, highlighting Bolton’s particularly high levels of allergy-related searches and offering insights into regional differences in allergy prevalence.

For more information, visit https://www.tester.co.uk/.