American Heart Month: Protecting Women’s Cardiovascular Health
February is American Heart Month, a crucial time to focus on cardiovascular health, particularly for women. Even as heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, awareness, diagnosis and treatment often differ significantly for women, leading to disparities in outcomes. This article explores the unique challenges women face regarding heart health and outlines how employers can play a vital role in fostering healthier workplaces and empowering women to prioritize their cardiovascular well-being.
Why Women’s Heart Health Requires Special Focus
Heart disease manifests differently in women than in men. Women are more likely to experience symptoms such as jaw pain, back or shoulder discomfort, fatigue, and indigestion, rather than the classic chest pain often associated with heart attacks in men 1. This can lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment. Awareness of heart disease risks has declined among U.S. Women, with particularly steep drops observed among Black, Latina, and younger women. Black and Latina women experience higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity – all modifiable risk factors – and often have the lowest awareness of their personal risks 1.
The Impact of Heart Disease
Heart disease is a significant public health concern. In 2023, almost 1 in every 4 deaths in the United States was caused by heart disease 1. The financial burden is also substantial, with healthcare costs and medications related to heart disease exceeding $168 billion between 2021 and 2022 4. Beyond the direct health and economic impacts, heart disease can contribute to absenteeism and reduced productivity in the workplace.
Benefits Employers Can Offer to Support Women’s Heart Health
Employers have a unique opportunity to address these challenges and promote women’s heart health through comprehensive benefits and supportive workplace environments.
- Comprehensive Preventive Care: Provide coverage for screenings, medications, and telehealth support, including assessments for blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, and weight.
- Integrated Wellness Programs: Implement programs focused on physical activity, healthy eating, stress management, and smoking cessation. These programs should aim to raise awareness of health risks, improve understanding, and facilitate risk reduction.
- Benefits Navigation: Offer digital or personalized assistance to help employees navigate available benefits and connect with appropriate healthcare providers and resources.
- Heart-Healthy Culture: Foster a workplace culture that prioritizes well-being through activity breaks, healthy snack options, and flexible schedules.
- Mental Health Support: Prioritize mental health by evaluating and expanding access to counseling, burnout prevention resources, and Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).
- Health Literacy: Elevate heart-health literacy and encourage employees to track key health indicators.
Educational Resources for Employees
Employers can further support women’s heart health by providing access to valuable educational resources:
- Awareness Campaigns: Participate in and promote campaigns like Go Red for Women® and Wear Red Day 3, and utilize resources from the CDC 1.
- Women-Specific Information: Offer resources tailored to women’s heart health, considering life stage and symptom differences.
- Life’s Essential 8™: Introduce the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8™ framework for heart health 2.
A Call to Action for Employers
Investing in women’s heart health is not only the right thing to do, but it also makes good business sense. By strengthening preventive benefits, implementing comprehensive education, promoting healthy lifestyles, and committing to year-round advocacy, employers can foster healthier workplaces, reduce preventable health crises, and empower women – especially those from minority groups – to protect their long-term well-being. Taking action now can lead to a healthier, more productive workforce and a significant reduction in healthcare costs.
Self-care is heart-health care. Practicing self-care, including being physically active, eating healthier foods, getting enough sleep, not smoking, and finding healthy ways to reduce stress, can help prevent heart disease 2.