Many Women Misinformed About Heart Disease
Many Women Misinformed About Heart Disease
Study Shows Lack of Knowledge About Heart Attack Symptoms
Feb. 10, 2010 -- Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, yet nearly half of women would not call 911 if they thought they were having symptoms of a heart attack.
That's just one of several concerning findings revealed today by The Go Red for Women Study, funded by the American Heart Association. The program looked at women's heart-health awareness and trends since 1997.
Researchers at New York-Presbyterian Hospital surveyed 2,300 women 25 or older by phone and online to determine who knew that heart disease was the No. 1 killer of women, and what they would do if they might be having a heart attack.
Women's awareness of heart disease has greatly increased over the last 10 years, but it's still relatively low. Furthermore, the level of knowledge has fluctuated between different racial groups. The recent survey shows that minority women continue to be significantly less aware of their risk of heart disease than white women.
The percentages of women surveyed who correctly identified heart disease as the leading cause of death for their sex were:
Less than half of women ages 25-34, regardless of ethnicity, did not know that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women.
The study also revealed that a women's knowledge of heart attack symptoms has not improved over the years, a finding that warrants attention, researchers say.
Most of the women surveyed were also unaware of evidence-based therapies for preventing cardiovascular disease. "Despite recent research showing no benefit of antioxidantvitamins in women, the majority of women surveyed cited them as a way to prevent heart disease," Lori Mosca, MD, PhD, MPH, director of preventive cardiology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, says in a news release. Slightly less than a third of women thought aromatherapy could also help prevent heart disease, but this is not a proven strategy.
Many Women Misinformed About Heart Disease
Study Shows Lack of Knowledge About Heart Attack Symptoms
Feb. 10, 2010 -- Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, yet nearly half of women would not call 911 if they thought they were having symptoms of a heart attack.
That's just one of several concerning findings revealed today by The Go Red for Women Study, funded by the American Heart Association. The program looked at women's heart-health awareness and trends since 1997.
Researchers at New York-Presbyterian Hospital surveyed 2,300 women 25 or older by phone and online to determine who knew that heart disease was the No. 1 killer of women, and what they would do if they might be having a heart attack.
Women's awareness of heart disease has greatly increased over the last 10 years, but it's still relatively low. Furthermore, the level of knowledge has fluctuated between different racial groups. The recent survey shows that minority women continue to be significantly less aware of their risk of heart disease than white women.
The percentages of women surveyed who correctly identified heart disease as the leading cause of death for their sex were:
- White women: 60%
- Back women: 43%
- Hispanic women: 44%
- Asian women: 34%
Less than half of women ages 25-34, regardless of ethnicity, did not know that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women.
The study also revealed that a women's knowledge of heart attack symptoms has not improved over the years, a finding that warrants attention, researchers say.
- Only 56% of women knew chest, neck, shoulder, and arm pain could be a heart attack symptom.
- Only 29% of women knew shortness of breath was a symptom.
- 17% correctly said chest tightness could be a symptom of a heart attack, while 15% knew nausea was a warning sign.
- Fatigue can also be a warning sign of a heart attack in women, yet only 7% of those surveyed were aware of this symptom.
Misunderstanding of Prevention Strategies
Most of the women surveyed were also unaware of evidence-based therapies for preventing cardiovascular disease. "Despite recent research showing no benefit of antioxidantvitamins in women, the majority of women surveyed cited them as a way to prevent heart disease," Lori Mosca, MD, PhD, MPH, director of preventive cardiology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, says in a news release. Slightly less than a third of women thought aromatherapy could also help prevent heart disease, but this is not a proven strategy.
