Canadian Journal of Cardiology 30 (2014) 1463.e3 www.onlinecjc.ca
Letters to the Editor Issues About Knowledge and Risk of Heart Disease in Women To the Editor: Sir, the recent report on “Perceived vs Actual Knowledge and Risk of Heart Disease in Women” is very interesting.1 McDonnell et al. concluded that “most women lack knowledge of heart disease symptoms and risk factors, and significant proportions are unaware of their own risk status.” The global challenges affecting women’s knowledge of heart disease and risk management constitute a very interesting issue for further discussion. According to the most basic conception of public health, knowledge is the essential requirement for the proper formulation of health-related attitudes and behaviors. Health education is thus required for the effective management of any diseases or risk behaviors. In previous reports, poor knowledge was also observed among male populations. The root causes behind the problem of insufficient knowledge of heart disease symptoms and risk factors should be further studied. In fact, there are many underlying factors that might contribute to this lack of knowledge. For example, age is an important factor. Mosca et al.2 noted that “age influenced knowledge to a greater extent than ethnicity” and that “programs directed at young women that address the effects of lifestyle behaviors on long-term health are needed.” This factor was not given due consideration, however, in the report by McDonnell et al.1 Similarly, the race of women is another factor that should be considered. Recently, Brega et al.3 studied “cardiovascular knowledge among urban American Indians and Alaska Natives” and found that recognition of health-related facts among the studied population was significantly lower than the levels of recognition reported in national studies using the same survey items. Along the same lines, black women have also usually been
reported to have lower levels of knowledge and recognition than white and Hispanic women. In addition, among the same race population, Lutfiyya et al.4 also found that knowledge of heart disease symptoms and risk factors was also dependent on socioeconomic variables. Because women in several areas of the world are frequently prevented from participation in social communication, it is a big challenge to overcome the barriers that might prevent participation in health promotion behavior. As such, effective culturally appropriate studies and interventions are needed to overcome these problems. Viroj Wiwanitkit, MD [email protected]
References 1. McDonnell LA, Pipe AL, Westcott C, et al. Perceived vs actual knowledge and risk of heart disease in women: findings from a Canadian survey on heart health awareness, attitudes, and lifestyle. Can J Cardiol 2014;30: 827-34. 2. Mosca L, Jones WK, King KB, et al. Awareness, perception, and knowledge of heart disease risk and prevention among women in the United States. American Heart Association Women’s Heart Disease and Stroke Campaign Task Force. Arch Fam Med 2000;9:506-15. 3. Brega AG, Noe T, Loudhawk-Hedgepeth C, et al. Cardiovascular knowledge among urban American Indians and Alaska Natives: first steps in addressing cardiovascular health. Prog Community Health Partnersh 2011;5:273-9. 4. Lutfiyya MN, Cumba MT, McCullough JE, Barlow EL, Lipsky MS. Disparities in adult African American women’s knowledge of heart attack and stroke symptomatology: an analysis of 2003-2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey data. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2008;17: 805-13.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cjca.2014.07.011 0828-282X/Ó 2014 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Letters to the Editor Issues About Knowledge and Risk of Heart Disease in Women To the Editor: Sir, the recent report on “Perceived vs Actual Knowledge and Risk of Heart Disease in Women” is very interesting.1 McDonnell et al. concluded that “most women lack knowledge of heart disease symptoms and risk factors, and significant proportions are unaware of their own risk status.” The global challenges affecting women’s knowledge of heart disease and risk management constitute a very interesting issue for further discussion. According to the most basic conception of public health, knowledge is the essential requirement for the proper formulation of health-related attitudes and behaviors. Health education is thus required for the effective management of any diseases or risk behaviors. In previous reports, poor knowledge was also observed among male populations. The root causes behind the problem of insufficient knowledge of heart disease symptoms and risk factors should be further studied. In fact, there are many underlying factors that might contribute to this lack of knowledge. For example, age is an important factor. Mosca et al.2 noted that “age influenced knowledge to a greater extent than ethnicity” and that “programs directed at young women that address the effects of lifestyle behaviors on long-term health are needed.” This factor was not given due consideration, however, in the report by McDonnell et al.1 Similarly, the race of women is another factor that should be considered. Recently, Brega et al.3 studied “cardiovascular knowledge among urban American Indians and Alaska Natives” and found that recognition of health-related facts among the studied population was significantly lower than the levels of recognition reported in national studies using the same survey items. Along the same lines, black women have also usually been
reported to have lower levels of knowledge and recognition than white and Hispanic women. In addition, among the same race population, Lutfiyya et al.4 also found that knowledge of heart disease symptoms and risk factors was also dependent on socioeconomic variables. Because women in several areas of the world are frequently prevented from participation in social communication, it is a big challenge to overcome the barriers that might prevent participation in health promotion behavior. As such, effective culturally appropriate studies and interventions are needed to overcome these problems. Viroj Wiwanitkit, MD [email protected]
References 1. McDonnell LA, Pipe AL, Westcott C, et al. Perceived vs actual knowledge and risk of heart disease in women: findings from a Canadian survey on heart health awareness, attitudes, and lifestyle. Can J Cardiol 2014;30: 827-34. 2. Mosca L, Jones WK, King KB, et al. Awareness, perception, and knowledge of heart disease risk and prevention among women in the United States. American Heart Association Women’s Heart Disease and Stroke Campaign Task Force. Arch Fam Med 2000;9:506-15. 3. Brega AG, Noe T, Loudhawk-Hedgepeth C, et al. Cardiovascular knowledge among urban American Indians and Alaska Natives: first steps in addressing cardiovascular health. Prog Community Health Partnersh 2011;5:273-9. 4. Lutfiyya MN, Cumba MT, McCullough JE, Barlow EL, Lipsky MS. Disparities in adult African American women’s knowledge of heart attack and stroke symptomatology: an analysis of 2003-2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey data. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2008;17: 805-13.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cjca.2014.07.011 0828-282X/Ó 2014 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
![[Heart failure: expressions of personal knowledge about the disease].](/assets/img/hold.png)
