Heart disease awareness decline spotlights urgency to reach younger women and women of color

Women’s awareness that heart disease is their leading cause of death has declined significantly, from 65% of women being aware in 2009 to 44% being aware in 2019, according to a recent American Heart Association Special Report, “Ten-Year Differences in Women’s Awareness Related to Coronary Heart Disease: Results of the 2019 American Heart Association National Survey.”

The decline in awareness was observed among all racial, ethnic and age groups except women ages 65 and older.

“Looking across survey years, in 2009, 2012 and 2019, we found that women who were younger vs. older, and non-Hispanic black, Hispanic or Asian vs. white had lower awareness that heart disease was the leading cause of death,” said Mary Cushman, M.D., M.Sc., FAHA, professor of medicine at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, and chair of the writing group for the statement.

Cushman also called attention to the need identified in this study to increase awareness efforts among women at various socioeconomic levels.

“Women with lower educational attainment and lower household income, as markers of socioeconomic status, also had lower awareness. These all point to groups that could benefit most from programs to raise awareness, i.e., lower income women, less educated women, nonwhite women and younger women. To reach these women, we need to innovate ways to meet them where they are so they can develop healthier lifestyle patterns to support optimal heart health earlier in life.”

The data are the results of the 2019 American Heart Association National Survey, an online survey of more than 1,500 U.S. women over age 25, conducted in January of 2009, 2012 and 2019.

“For nearly 20 years, the Association and Go Red for Women have been at the forefront of emerging science,” said Mellissa Wood, corporate market director for the Go Red for Women movement in Northwest Arkansas. “The movement is poised to evolve to reach younger generations of women in new, innovative ways, and we’re working to do that in our region.”

The survey included questions on age, sex, race, ethnicity, educational attainment, household income and marital status. Awareness was assessed with the question, “As far as you know, what is the leading cause of death for all women?” Common responses included heart attack/heart disease; cancer (all types); and breast cancer.

The survey found:

• Women with high blood pressure were 30% less aware that heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, compared to women overall

• The greatest declines in awareness were among Hispanic women, Black women and women ages 25-34 years old.

• Awareness of heart attack symptoms declined among all women.

“Alarms should be sounded to address this highly concerning trend among younger women and women of color,” said Wood. “This signals an urgent call for organizations ranging from public health, government and health care professionals, to community organizations such as churches and employers, to better inform women of their risk for heart disease.

“Preventing heart disease remains our number one priority – we should be as close as possible to 100% awareness,” she said.

Considerable progress has been made by the Association and Go Red for Women® over the last two decades to raise awareness and reach tens of millions of women and health care professionals. Women inspired at the inception of the Association’s Go Red for Women movement in

2004, particularly women in their 30-40s at the time, h have championed women’s womenswomen’s health for more than 17 yeayears years and are still the most likely to recognize heart disease and stroke strok as their greatest health threats based baased on o the 2019 survey findings.

Preventing heart disease diseaase and an stroke in women remains a priority prioority fo for the Association. The Association’s Asssociat signature women’s initiaative, initiative, Go Red for Women, is committed commmitte to meeting the comprehennsive comprehensive health needs of women at everry every life stage. The local Go Red for forr Women Wom Luncheon is set for foor May Ma 17, 2022.

The 20199 2019 surv survey data informs andd and driv drives next steps for the American Am Heart Association Asssocia and Go Red for Women as they theey continue con efforts efforrts to engage, inspire insppire and an empower emppower every woman, womman, a at every stage of life. lif

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