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Cardiovascular disease risks in women.


Abstract: Cardiovascular disease Cardiovascular disease
Disease that affects the heart and blood vessels.

Mentioned in: Lipoproteins Test

cardiovascular disease 
 (CVD CVD Cardiovascular disease, see there ) is the leading cause of mortality in the U.S., yet research demonstrates a lack of risk awareness among women. The purpose of this study was to evaluate CVD knowledge among female participants (N = 104) by age and race. Age categories were <25 years, 25-44 years, and 45 years and older. Race categories were white and non-white. The Check Your Healthy Heart I.Q. instrument (National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, 2004) was used. Using ANOVA anova

see analysis of variance.

ANOVA Analysis of variance, see there
 (p < .05), there was a significant difference between age categories (p = .001), but no significant difference between races (p = .38). Results indicate a need for educational interventions, particularly among younger women.

**********

A national investigation indicates that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the single leading cause of death and a significant cause of morbidity morbidity /mor·bid·i·ty/ (mor-bid´it-e)
1. a diseased condition or state.

2. the incidence or prevalence of a disease or of all diseases in a population.


mor·bid·i·ty
n.
 among American women (Mosca, Ferris, Fabunmi, & Robertson, 2004). In fact, CVD claims the lives of more than 500,000 American women each year. This figure constitutes 41.3% of all U.S. female deaths, and is higher than the number of deaths from all types of cancer combined. Among ethnic minority groups, African American African American Multiculture A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. See Race.  women have the highest CVD mortality rate (Mosca et al., 2004; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Noun 1. Department of Health and Human Services - the United States federal department that administers all federal programs dealing with health and welfare; created in 1979
Health and Human Services, HHS
 [USDHHS USDHHS,
n.pr See United States Department of Health and Human Services.
], 2000).

CVD was traditionally thought of as a man's disease. Women's health Women's Health Definition

Women's health is the effect of gender on disease and health that encompasses a broad range of biological and psychosocial issues.
 issues focused on menopause menopause (mĕn`əpôz) or climacteric (klīmăk`tərĭk, klī'măktĕr`ĭk)  and breast cancer. With a focus on menopause and breast cancer, women did not consider coronary artery disease coronary artery disease, condition that results when the coronary arteries are narrowed or occluded, most commonly by atherosclerotic deposits of fibrous and fatty tissue.  as a major area of concern, thus leading women to be misinformed about CVD. A study in the American Association American Association refers to one of the following professional baseball leagues:
  • American Association (19th century), active from 1882 to 1891.
  • American Association (20th century), active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997.
 of Occupational Health Nurses Journal found that 50% of women will die of heart disease and stroke compared to only about 4% that will die of breast cancer (Birchfield, 2003).

Gender-related differences exist in responses to CVD. Women tend to dismiss chest pain as insignificant or caused by indigestion indigestion or dyspepsia, discomfort during or after eating caused by some interference with the normal digestive process. Symptoms include nausea, heartburn, abdominal pain, gas distress, and a feeling of abdominal distention.  and delay treatment, if they seek treatment at all (Birchfield, 2003). Other investigations revealed that twice as many women die in the first year after a myocardial infarction myocardial infarction: see under infarction.  compared to men (Anderson & Kessenich, 2001). Women also tend to delay longer in getting treatment for symptoms, have more myocardial infarctions that go unrecognized, and are treated less aggressively (Fleury, Keller, & Murdaugh, 2000). Specific risk factors that are unique to women include use of oral contraceptives Oral Contraceptives Definition

Oral contraceptives are medicines taken by mouth to help prevent pregnancy. They are also known as the Pill, OCs, or birth control pills.
, menopause, and hormone replacement therapy Hormone Replacement Therapy Definition

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the use of synthetic or natural female hormones to make up for the decline or lack of natural hormones produced in a woman's body.
 (Anderson & Kessenich).

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate women's knowledge of CVD risk by age and race and to increase awareness. An evaluation of the current CVD literature was performed to assess how age, race and knowledge factors are represented in the literature.

AGE

In an investigation on "Social and Contextual Etiology etiology /eti·ol·o·gy/ (e?te-ol´ah-je)
1. the science dealing with causes of disease.

2. the cause of a disease.
 of Coronary Heart Disease coronary heart disease: see coronary artery disease.
coronary heart disease
 or ischemic heart disease

Progressive reduction of blood supply to the heart muscle due to narrowing or blocking of a coronary artery (see atherosclerosis).
 in Women" Fleury et al. (2000) stated that coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death and disability in American women over age 50. Before age 60, heart disease rates are higher in men than women. However, CVD increases markedly following menopause. A study by Mosca et al. (2000) revealed that younger women were more likely to respond that they did not know the leading cause of death or did not answer the question compared with women aged 45 to 64 years. Interestingly, 16% of younger women (ages 25-34 years) recognized heart disease as the leading cause of death for women, but only 4% perceived it as the greatest health problem among women. Twenty-seven percent of the women ages 25-34 were least likely to report feeling very well or well informed. An American Heart Association American Heart Association (AHA),
n.pr a national voluntary health agency that has the goal of increasing public and medical awareness of cardiovascular diseases and stroke, and thereby reducing the number of associated deaths and disabilities.
 survey found increased cardiovascular disease awareness among women but plenty of room for improvement. Twenty-two percent of the women surveyed reported feeling not at all informed (American Heart Association, 2004a).

RACE

Race is also an issue in considering risk factors for coronary artery disease (Birchfield, 2003, p. 19). In fact, Birchfield claims that African American women are more likely to be hypertensive hypertensive /hy·per·ten·sive/ (-ten´siv)
1. characterized by increased tension or pressure.

2. an agent that causes hypertension.

3. a person with hypertension.
, diabetic diabetic /di·a·bet·ic/ (-bet´ik)
1. pertaining to or affected with diabetes.

2. a person with diabetes.


di·a·bet·ic
adj.
1.
, and obese o·bese
adj.
Extremely fat; very overweight.



obese

characterized by obesity.

obese adjective Characterized by obesity, see there; excessively fat
 than white women. African American women were also more likely to develop coronary artery disease or suffer a stroke. Moreover, the death rate for African American women with CVD is almost 70% higher than that of white women (Cheek & Cesan, 2003). An American Heart Association Survey found that the rate of CVD was nearly twice as high among white women (55%) compared to African American women (30%). The same investigation indicated that rates for Hispanic women (27%) were also twice as high as those for white women (American Heart Association [AHA AHA American Heart Association; American Hospital Association. ], 2004a). Another study reported that Native American women This is a list of famous Native Americans. This is a list of Native American women. Please note that it should contain only Native women of the United States and her territories, not First Nations women or Native women of other countries in North, Central, and South America.  have higher incidences of diabetes which increases their risk to CVD (Anderson & Kessenich, 2001).

KNOWLEDGE

Researchers have found that women's lack of knowledge regarding CVD may contribute to a higher risk of CVD (Meisler, 2001). A study published in the Journal of Women's Health and Gender-Based Medicine Gender-based medicine or simply gender medicine is the field of medicine that studies the biological and physiological differences between the human sexes and how that affects differences in disease.  found that women's concerns about cancer have made them pay special attention to scheduling annual Pap smears Pap smear
 or Papanicolaou smear

Sample of cells from the vagina and cervix of the uterus for laboratory staining and examination to detect genital herpes and early-stage cancer, especially of the cervix. Developed by the Greek-born U.S.
 and regular mammograms yet the same urgency is not given to heart disease (Meisler). This same study also found that four of five women and one in three primary care physicians were unaware that CVD is the single leading cause of death and disability among women.

A study by Bedinghaus, Leshan, and Dieher (2001) provides an example of the lack of knowledge on CVD. In this study, the authors write that public campaigns have emphasized breast cancer risks in an effort to promote screening mammography mammography, diagnostic procedure that uses low-dose X rays to detect abnormalities in the breasts. The early diagnosis of breast cancer made possible by the routine use of mammography for screening women increases a woman's treatment alternatives and improves her . The article concludes that many women are more afraid of developing breast cancer than CVD.

Historically, women's health issues have focused on menopause and breast cancer, which may have led women to believe that CVD is not a vital problem for them (Oliver-McNeil & Artinian, 2002, p. 221). Another investigation ascertained as·cer·tain  
tr.v. as·cer·tained, as·cer·tain·ing, as·cer·tains
1. To discover with certainty, as through examination or experimentation. See Synonyms at discover.

2.
 that the public's perception is that breast cancer poses the greater threat because of the similar incidence of breast cancer and heart disease in younger women (Holdright, 1998). Finally, Mosca et al. (2004) suggested that U.S. women of all ethnic and age groups have inadequate knowledge about CVD risk factors, inspite of entrenched en·trench   also in·trench
v. en·trenched, en·trench·ing, en·trench·es

v.tr.
1. To provide with a trench, especially for the purpose of fortifying or defending.

2.
 behavioral behavioral

pertaining to behavior.


behavioral disorders
see vice.

behavioral seizure
see psychomotor seizure.
 and medical routines to lower their risk.

SIGNIFICANCE

According to according to
prep.
1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians.

2. In keeping with: according to instructions.

3.
 the World Health Organization, it is estimated that CVD causes 8.5 million deaths among women annually (AHA, 2004b). CVD is the largest single cause of mortality among women, and is responsible for one-third of all deaths in women worldwide. In fact, heart attack and stroke deaths are responsible for twice as many deaths in women as all cancers combined. According to the Healthy People 2010 (HP 2010) report, "heart disease is the leading cause of death for all people. About 12 million people in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area.  have coronary heart disease (CHD CHD coronary heart disease.

ChD
abbr.
Latin Chirurgiae Doctor (Doctor of Surgery)


CHD,
n.pr See disease, coronary heart.


CHD

canine hip dysplasia.
)" (USDHHS, 2001).

The goal of HP 2010 Objective 12 is to improve cardiovascular health and quality of life through the prevention, detection, and treatment of risk factors (USDHHS, 2001). In the year 2000, the death rate for U.S. women ages 35-74 from CVD was 177 per 100,000 (AHA 2004a).

In 1999, CVD was responsible for nearly 40% of all deaths in Texas. Heart disease alone claimed 43,335 lives or 29.6% of all deaths that year (Texas Council on Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke, 2002). According to the Texas Department of Health (TDH TDH Texas Department of Health
TDH Total Dynamic Head
TDH Tennessee Department of Health
TDH Table D’ Hote (French: hosts table; menu )
TDH Tall Dark and Handsome
TDH Total Discharge Head
TDH Total Developed Head
) for the region where this university is located, 3,263 deaths related to CVD were reported in the year 2000 (Center for Health Statistics, TDH, 2002). Although the difference is not statistically significant for all age groups, men (8.9%) reported having CVD more often than women (6.4%; Texas Council on Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke).

When considering these statistics along with the advances in medicine and communication technology, women's knowledge of their risk for CVD needs to be studied. In addition, further and meaningful educational prevention strategies should be presented to all women (Oliver-McNeil & Artinian, 2002). The purpose of this study was to evaluate knowledge of CVD risks among women, by age and race, and to increase awareness.

METHOD

The investigation to evaluate the knowledge of CVD risks among women, by age and race, was designed as a non-experimental, correlational study. This study was conducted at a public Texas university that enrolls approximately 5,600 female students. The Institutional Review Board approved the research study. Survey data was collected from a volunteer sample (N = 104) of female faculty, students, and staff participants attending a health fair that was held in conjunction with the Week of Wellness sponsored by the Student Health Center. The health fair and data collection site was located at the student center. Data was collected on March 4, 2004 between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The Check Your Healthy Heart I.Q.. survey instrument was developed and published by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health (2004; see Table 1). The survey is an educational health risk assessment tool that was utilized to evaluate knowledge of CVD among women by age and race in one administration. The survey consisted of fourteen true and false statements relating to relating to relate prepconcernant

relating to relate prepbezüglich +gen, mit Bezug auf +acc 
 knowledge of CVD risk factors. Demographic information collected by the investigators included the variables age and race. Age categories were less than 25 years, 25-44 years, and 45 years and older. Race categories were white and non-white. The non-white category included African American, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaskan, and other.

A Healthy Heart I.Q. display of cardiovascular facts specific to women was the focal point focal point
n.
See focus.
 of the data collection site. As health fair attendees passed the display, the investigators asked for volunteers to complete the questionnaire. Participants were informed that the survey was created for educational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or care. The investigators scored the questionnaire based on the number of statements answered correctly. Results were reviewed individually with each participant. Participants were informed of correct answers for the questions that they answered incorrectly. Participants also received content knowledge information via a Healthy Heart IQ display and brochures from the American Heart Association that promoted awareness of heart disease in women. The data was gathered from the scores of participants (N = 104) using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) at the .05 alpha level. Data was divided into three age categories and two race categories and analyzed an·a·lyze  
tr.v. an·a·lyzed, an·a·lyz·ing, an·a·lyz·es
1. To examine methodically by separating into parts and studying their interrelations.

2. Chemistry To make a chemical analysis of.

3.
 with the StatView[R] software.

LIMITATIONS

The sample of participants for the investigation was small and nonrandomized, therefore generalization gen·er·al·i·za·tion
n.
1. The act or an instance of generalizing.

2. A principle, a statement, or an idea having general application.
 of the findings is restricted to female faculty, staff and students at the university. Also, the number of Hispanic (n = 8) and other (n = 5) minorities in the non-white race category were considerably less than the number of African American minorities (n = 39) in the same category. Participants were those attending the health fair, which limited participants available for survey by age and race. Despite these limitations, these findings are worth consideration.

RESULTS

DEMOGRAPHICS The attributes of people in a particular geographic area. Used for marketing purposes, population, ethnic origins, religion, spoken language, income and age range are examples of demographic data.

The distribution of participants in the Check Your Healthy Heart I.Q. investigation by age category was 32.7% for less than 25 years (n = 33), 42.3% for 25-44 years (n = 45), and 25% for 45 years and older (n = 26). Participants were evenly distributed between white (n=52) and non-white (n=52). The non-white category consisted of African Americans (n = 39), Hispanics (n = 8), and Other (n = 5).

KNOWLEDGE BY AGE AND RACE

Check Your Healthy Heart I.Q. survey scores ranged from 57% (8 correct answers) to 100% (14 correct answers). The mean score was 77% (10.78 correct answers, SD=9.53). Table 2 reflects the frequency distribution of percent correct subdivided by age. Participants who scored between 80% to 100% correct comprised 12.12% of the less than 25 years age category, 28.89% of the 25-44 years category, and 50% of those age 45 years and older. Table 2 also contains the frequency distribution of percent correct subdivided by race. Of participants who scored 80% to 100% correct, 38.46% identified as white and 19.23% identified as Non-White.

Using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), there was a significant difference (p = .001) between age categories in terms of percentages of correct responses to the Check Your Healthy Heart I.Q. instrument (see Table 3). There were no significant differences (p = .38) between race categories in terms of percentages of correct (see Table 3).

The frequency distribution of percent correct by age categories and the ANOVA for percent correct by age consistently indicated that women 45 and older have a higher level of knowledge concerning the risks for developing CVD. In the frequency distribution of percent correct by age, the study revealed that 54.5% of women who were younger than 25 years of age and 51.1% of women 25-44 years of age scored between 70-79% correct. Only 42.3% of women who were 45 years and older scored between 70-79% correct; less than one-half (49.9%) scored 80-100% correct on the survey. Although the frequency distribution of percent correct by indicated white women have a higher level of knowledge than non-white women concerning the risks of developing CVD, the ANOVA revealed that these differences were not significant (p = .38).

DISCUSSION

This investigation suggests that as women increase in age, their level of knowledge of CVD risk factors increases. Mosca et al. (2004) indicated that women younger than 45 years of age generally cited heart disease less frequently than did older women. This study supports Mosca et al.'s (2000) finding that most women do not perceive CVD as an important health threat and indicated that women are not knowledgeable about their risks for CVD. This investigation also concurs with Mosca et al. (2000) in concluding that age influences knowledge to a greater extent than race.

This study supports findings by Anderson and Kessenich (2001) who found that there are important opportunities to educate women about CVD risk and prevention. Educating clinicians and female patients on the magnitude of this problem and differences that exist between men and women is critical (Anderson & Kessenich). These findings also lend support to Mosca et al. (2000) who found a need for heart disease and stroke education programs for all women, including programs that target adults over 65 years of age and younger adults 25-35 years of age.

Even though this investigation did not find a significant relationship between knowledge and race, models of CVD prevention may encourage policymakers to devise multifaceted mul·ti·fac·et·ed  
adj.
Having many facets or aspects. See Synonyms at versatile.

Adj. 1. multifaceted - having many aspects; "a many-sided subject"; "a multifaceted undertaking"; "multifarious interests"; "the multifarious
 approaches for women's health promotion (Fleury et al., 2000). It is recommended that promotion of cardiovascular health for women requires the development of culturally appropriate intervention A procedure used in a lawsuit by which the court allows a third person who was not originally a party to the suit to become a party, by joining with either the plaintiff or the defendant.  strategies and theoretical models. The results of this investigation support research by Mosca et al. (2000). Without programs to educate women on symptoms and preventive preventive /pre·ven·tive/ (pre-vent´iv) prophylactic.

pre·ven·tive or pre·ven·ta·tive
adj.
Preventing or slowing the course of an illness or disease; prophylactic.

n.
 measures of heart disease, this lack of CVD awareness may impede im·pede  
tr.v. im·ped·ed, im·ped·ing, im·pedes
To retard or obstruct the progress of. See Synonyms at hinder1.



[Latin imped
 preventive efforts to adopt positive lifestyle changes. Focusing on meaningful educational programs for young women and promoting the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors in the present may influence women's risk of developing long-term disease (Mosca et al.). The challenge for health promotion and disease prevention in women requires that researchers and clinicians explore new options for addressing CVD risk factors and increasing knowledge in women of all ages and races (Fleury et al.).

REFERENCES

American Heart Association. (2004a). American Heart Association special report: Survey finds increased cardiovascular disease awareness among women but plenty of room for improvement. Retrieved March 18, 2004, from http://www.americanheart.org/downloadable/heart/1075921958310SURVEY% 20at-a-glance1.pdf

American Heart Association. (2004b). International cardiovascular disease statistics. (2004). Retrieved April 12, 2004 from http://www.americanheart.org/downloadable/heart/ 1077185395308FS06INT4(e-book).pdf

Anderson, J., & Kessenich, C.R. (2001). Women and coronary heart disease. The Nurse Practitioner nurse practitioner
n. Abbr. NP
A registered nurse with special training for providing primary health care, including many tasks customarily performed by a physician.
, 26, 12-31.

Bedinghaus, J., Leshan, L., & Dieher, S. (2001). Coronary artery disease prevention: What's different for women? American Family Physician The American Family Physician is a medical journal of the American Academy of Family Physicians. See also
  • List of medical journals
External links
  • AFP journal homepage with full text articles
, 63, 1393-1400.

Birchfield, P.C. (2003). Identifying women at risk for coronary artery disease. American Association of Occupational Health Nurses Journal, 51, 15-22.

Center for Health Statistics, Texas Department of Health. (2002). Selected facts for Region 5, 2000. Retrieved April 12, 2004 from http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/dpa/

Cheek, D., & Cesan, A. (2003). What's different about heart disease in women? Nursing, 33, 36-42.

Fleury, J., Keller, C., & Murdaugh, C. (2000). Social and contextual etiology of coronary heart disease in women. Journal of Women's Health and Gender-Based Medicine, 9, 967-978

Holdright, D. R. (1998). Risk factors for cardiovascular disease in women. Journal of Human Hypertension hypertension or high blood pressure, elevated blood pressure resulting from an increase in the amount of blood pumped by the heart or from increased resistance to the flow of blood through the small arterial blood vessels (arterioles). , 12, 667-673.

Meisler, J. G. (2001). Toward optimal health: The experts discuss heart disease in women. Journal of Women's Health and Gender-Based Medicine, 10, 17-25.

Mosca, L., Ferris, A., Fabunmi, R., & Robertson, R. M. (2004). Tracking women's awareness of heart disease: An American Heart Association national study. Circulation, 109, 573-579.

Mosca, L., Grundy, S. M., Judelson, D., King, K., Limacher, M., Oparil, S., et al. (1999). Guide to preventive cardiology cardiology

Medical specialty dealing with heart diseases and disorders. It began with the 1749 publication by Jean Baptiste de Sénac of contemporary knowledge of the heart. Diagnostic methods improved in the 19th century, and in 1905 the electrocardiograph was invented.
 in women. Circulation, 99, 2480-2484.

Mosca, L., Jones, W. K., King, K. B., Ouyang, P, Redberg, R. F., & Hill, M. N. (2000). Awareness, perception, and knowledge of heart disease risk and prevention among women in the United States. Archives of Family Medicine, 9, 506-515.

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institute of Health and the United States Department of Health and Human Services United States Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS),
n.pr a cabinet-level government organization comprising 12 agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
 (2004). Check you heart healthy I.Q. (Publication #932724). Retrieved February 2, 2004 from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/hh_iq.htm

Oliver-McNeil, S., & Artinian, N. T. (2002). Women's perceptions of personal cardiovascular risk and their risk-reducing behaviors. American Journal of Critical Care, 11, 221-227.

Texas Council on Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke. (2002). Cardiovascular disease in Texas: A risk factor report 1999 survey data. Retrieved April 22, 2004 from http://www.tdh.texas.gov/chronicd/cvdrep.pdf

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2000). Healthy People 2010. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2001). Heart disease and stroke. Retrieved April 22, 2004, from http://www.healthypeople.gov/Document/HTML/Volume1/12Heart.htm

CHES AREAS

Responsibility I-Assessing Individual and Community Needs for Health Education

Competency COMPETENCY, evidence. The legal fitness or ability of a witness to be heard on the trial of a cause. This term is also applied to written or other evidence which may be legally given on such trial, as, depositions, letters, account-books, and the like.
     2.
 C--Infer needs for health education on the basis of obtained data

Responsibility VII-Communicating Heath and Health Education Needs, Concerns, and Resources

Competency C--Select a variety of communication methods and techniques in providing health information.

Debra Long, MS and Staci Waldrep, MS are Instructors at Lamar Institute of Technology Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) is a public technical school in Beaumont, Texas. LIT was formerly a part of Lamar University, but became a separate institution when the university joined the Texas State University System in 1995. . Barbara Hernandez, PhD, CHES and George Strickland George Strickland may refer to:
  • George Strickland (baseball player) (born 1926), American baseball player and manager
  • Sir George Strickland, 7th Baronet (1782–1874), MP for Yorkshire 1831-1832, Yorkshire West Riding 1832-1841 and Preston 1841-1857
, PhD are Assistant Professors at Lamar University Lamar University is a four-year university located in Beaumont, Texas, USA, and a member of the Texas State University System. As of September 2006, the university had an enrollment of 9,906 students. . Address all correspondence to Barbara Hernandez, PhD, CHES, Associate Professor, PO Box 10039, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX 77710; PHONE: 409-880-7725; E-MAIL e-mail: see electronic mail.
e-mail
 in full electronic mail

Messages and other data exchanged between individuals using computers in a network.
: hernandebl@hal.lamar.edu.
Table 1. Check your Healthy Heart I.Q.

Answer "true" or "false" to the following questions to test your
knowledge of heart disease and its risk factors. Be sure to check
the answers and explanations on the reference page to see how
well you did.

1. The risk factors for heart disease that you can do
   something about are: high blood pressure, high blood
   cholesterol, smoking, obesity, and physical activity.    T   F

2. A stroke is often the first symptom of high blood
   pressure, and a heart attack is often the first
   symptom of high blood cholesterol.                       T   F

3. A blood pressure greater than or equal to 140/90 mm Hg
   is generally considered to be high.                      T   F

4. High blood pressure affects the same number of blacks
   as it does whites.                                       T   F

5. The best ways to treat and control high blood pressure
   are to control your weight, exercise, eat less salt
   (sodium), restrict your intake of alcohol, and take
   your high blood pressure medicine, if prescribed
   by your doctor.                                          T   F

6. A blood cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL is desirable
   for adults.                                              T   F

7. The most effective dietary way to lower the level
   of your blood cholesterol is to eat foods low in
   cholesterol.                                             T   F

8. Lowering blood cholesterol levels can help people
   who have already had a heart attack.                     T   F

9. Only children from families at high risk of heart
   disease need to have their blood cholesterol
   levels checked.                                          T   F

10. Smoking is a major risk factor for four of the five
    leading causes of death including heart attack,
    stroke, cancer, and lung diseases such as emphysema
    and bronchitis.                                         T   F

11. If you have had a heart attack, quitting smoke can
    help reduce your chances of having a second attack.     T   F

12. Someone who has smoked for 30 to 40 years probably
    will not be able to quit smoking.                       T   F

13. The best way to lose weight is to increase physical
    activity and eat fewer calories.                        T   F

14. Heart disease is the leading killer of men and women
    in the United States.                                   T   F

Disclaimer: This questionnaire has been created for educational
purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for
professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or care.
If you have a particular health concern, contact your doctor
and follow his/her recommendations regarding your specific
medical needs.

Answers: True = 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14 False = 4, 6, 7, 12

Note. From the survey "Check Your Healthy Heart I.Q" by the National
Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institute of Health
and the United States Department of Health and Human Services,
2004, NIH Publication No. 93-2724. Reprinted with permission.

Table 2. Frequency Distribution for Percent Correct on Survey
by Age & Race.

                       Age                              Race

         <25          25-44        45 & >          white      non-white

Range    N      P     N      P     N      P     N      P     N      P

50-59     2    6.06    1    2.22    1    3.85    2    3.85    2    3.85
60-69     9   27.27    8   17.78    1    3.85   10   19.23    8   15.39
70-79    18   54.55   23   51.11   11   42.31   20   38.46   32   61.54
80-89     3    9.09    9   20.00    8   30.77   12   23.08    8   15.39
90-100    1    3.03    4    8.89    5   19.23    8   15.39    2    3.85

Table 3. ANOVA for Percent Correct on Survey by Age & Race

              n       M        SD      SE

Age
  <25         33   72.94 *     8.70   1.52
  25-44       45   77.30 *     9.05   1.35
  45 & >      26   81.87 *     9.31   1.83
Race
  white       52   77.89 **   10.70   1.48
  non-white   52   76.24 **    8.21   1.14

* p < .05

** p > .05
COPYRIGHT 2005 University of Alabama, Department of Health Sciences
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2005, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Author:Strickland, George
Publication:American Journal of Health Studies
Date:Jun 22, 2005
Words:3724
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Women's Health Initiative study. (Editorials).
Who to call attention to heart disease in women?(Brief Article)
Understanding heart disease in female patients: the standard model for diagnosis of cardiovascular disease often doesn't fit women. Here are some...
Women & Heart Disease.
Study sheds new light on vitamin E.(HEALTH CARE VALLEY)(women's health)
Big headache: auras may add risk to migraines.(sensory irregularities)

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