Heart Disease in Women

Heart Disease in Women:

A call to action for Oklahoma University Medical Center

Addressing the leading cause of death among Oklahomas women needs to be a top
priority for OU Medical Center. Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in women
globally, claiming the lives of 8.6 million women annually (Ramachandran, H. J, et. al., 2016).
Oklahoma has one of the highest death rates linked to coronary heart disease (CHD),
cardiovascular disease (CVD), and stroke in the United States (Lloyd-Jones, D., 2010). This is
made all the more tragic because many of the risk factors for this disease are preventable with
proper diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes. There is a mistaken perception among women that
heart disease is a malady that mostly affects men. Statistics show that while heart disease is the
number one cause of death for men the disease constantly kills more women every year (LloydJones, D., 2010). Mosca, L., et. al. (2006) shows that nearly half of women in the United States
are unaware that heart disease is the leading cause of death among women. It is important to
recognize that awareness has gone up in the US from previous years due to national education
programs (Ramachandran, H. J, et. al., 2016). This tells us that educational outreach has shown
to be effective, but Oklahoma is still behind the national average. Awareness rates among
minority women are also well below the national average indicating that traditional outreach
programs are not reaching these women (Koniak-Griffin, D., & Brecht, M. L., 2015). Mortality
rates due to heart disease are also higher in the outlying rural communities (Vaughan, A. S., et.
al. 2015). In areas with increased awareness about heart disease there is a decrease in mortality
showing a need for better diffusion information across racial and geographical gaps (Vaughan, A.
S. et. al. 2015).

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This is a disease whose cure is better communications with our community about the risk
factors for heart disease in women. As the top medical facility in Oklahoma it is imperative that
we take the lead on addressing healthcare problem. If the healthcare of Oklahomans is our top
priority, then addressing the leading cause of death in this State should be at the top of our list. If
a call to duty is not sufficient motivation this awareness campaign will directly affect
predominately poor and uninsured Oklahomans. Studies show that these patients cost hospitals
more to treat and we will typically recoup less of that cost (Epstein, A. M. 1990). It is the right
thing to do and it will save the hospital money over time.
The first target group in need of outreach is Oklahomas black women. Kumanyika, S.
K., & Charleston, J. B. (1992) have an interesting study that shows a church based program for
weight loss yielded successful results. I would suggest partnering with community churches to
aid in our awareness efforts. This would help create visibility and create conversation about this
communications campaign. Mosca, L., et. al. (2006) shows us that a large barrier to awareness is
a belief that health issues are in the hands of a higher power. Partnering with local pastors to
help combat this misconception and personalize the responsibility of combating heart disease
would be prudent. I would also recommend a media buy with Tyler Communications who own
The Black Chronicle as well as several radio stations. This company is firmly entrenched in
Oklahomas black community and would help increase awareness.
The second target group will be Oklahomas Latina population. Kumanyika, S. K., &
Charleston, J. B. (1992) tells us that language can be a barrier to information about
cardiovascular health for Latina women in America. Publishing information about heart health
concerns for women in Spanish that can be handed out at hospitals and clinics can be a good first
step in bridging the language barrier. I would also recommend a media buy on Spanish language

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television and radio outlets. I would also recommend again partnering with community churches
as a way to expand our awareness campaign.
The third target group is Oklahomas rural population. Partnering with local hospitals
that service rural areas and sharing resources with these underserved communities would help in
this campaign. Partnering with churches as well as Rotary and Masons groups are a good way to
involve people who are active and have a stake in these communities. Many rural communities
have seasonal festivals that are large community events for everyone in the area. Having a kiosk
at these events with informational pamphlets and healthcare professional there to answer
questions could be a good way to reach these communities.
By targeting these three demographics OU Medical Center can help make a significant
change in the heart health of many Oklahoma women. In dealing with a disease where the right
information can mean the difference between life and death communication is key.
Communicating with women about what they can do to keep their hearts healthy is not only the
right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do.

References

Epstein, A. M., Stern, R. S., & Weissman, J. S. (1990). Do the poor cost more? A multihospital
study of patients' socioeconomic status and use of hospital resources. New England Journal of
Medicine, 322(16), 1122-1128.
Koniak-Griffin, D., & Brecht, M. L. (2015). Awareness of Cardiovascular Disease and
Preventive Behaviors Among Overweight Immigrant Latinas.Journal of Cardiovascular
Nursing, 30(5), 447-455.
Kumanyika, S. K., & Charleston, J. B. (1992). Lose weight and win: a church-based weight loss
program for blood pressure control among black women. Patient education and
counseling, 19(1), 19-32.

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Lloyd-Jones, D., Adams, R. J., Brown, T. M., Carnethon, M., Dai, S., De Simone, G., ... & Go,
A. (2010). Heart disease and stroke statistics2010 update A report from the American Heart
Association. Circulation, 121(7), e46-e215.
Mosca, L., Mochari, H., Christian, A., Berra, K., Taubert, K., Mills, T., ... & Simpson, S. L.
(2006). National study of womens awareness, preventive action, and barriers to cardiovascular
health. Circulation, 113(4), 525-534.
Ramachandran, H. J., Wu, V. X., Kowitlawakul, Y., & Wang, W. (2016). Awareness, knowledge
and healthy lifestyle behaviors related to coronary heart disease among women: An integrative
review. Heart & Lung: The Journal of Acute and Critical Care, 45(3), 173-185.
Vaughan, A. S., Quick, H., Pathak, E. B., Kramer, M. R., & Casper, M. (2015). Disparities in
Temporal and Geographic Patterns of Declining Heart Disease Mortality by Race and Sex in the
United States, 19732010. Journal of the American Heart Association, 4(12), e002567.