National study of women's awareness, preventive action, and barriers to cardiovascular health.
BACKGROUND
There is growing awareness of cardiovascular disease (CVD) as the leading cause of death in women, but whether this greater awareness is associated with increased action by women to lower their personal or family's risk is unknown.


RESULTS
A nationally representative sample of 1008 women selected through random-digit dialing were given a standardized questionnaire about history of CVD/risk factors, awareness of leading cause of death, knowledge of healthy and personal levels of CVD risk factors, self-reported actions taken to reduce risk, and barriers to heart health. The rate of awareness of CVD as the leading cause of death has nearly doubled since 1997 (55% versus 30%) was significantly greater for whites compared with blacks and Hispanics (62% versus 38% and 34%, respectively) and was independently correlated with increased physical activity (odds ratio, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.83) and weight loss (odds ratio, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.14 to 2.02) in the previous year in logistic regression models. Fewer than half of the respondents were aware of healthy levels of risk factors. Awareness that personal level was not healthy was positively associated with action. Most women took steps to lower risk in family members and themselves. The most frequently cited barriers for heart health were confusion in the media (49%), the belief that health is determined by a higher power (44%), and caretaking responsibilities (36%).


CONCLUSIONS
General awareness of CVD risk among women is associated with preventive action. Educational interventions need to be targeted at racial/ethnic minority women.
Mosca
Lori
L
The New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Division of Cardiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, USA. ljm10@columbia.edu
Mochari
Heidi
H
Christian
Allison
A
Berra
Kathy
K
Taubert
Kathryn
K
Mills
Thomas
T
Burdick
Keisha Arrowood
KA
Simpson
Susan Lee
SL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010465:Perception; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health