Description
HealthyWomen is dedicated to educating women in the midlife — 35 to 64 years old — so they can make informed health decisions, advocate for themselves, and prioritize their health and wellness. They achieve their mission by connecting with their audience, through fact-based, expert-sourced content and creative evidence-based programming. HealthyWomen continues to keep women’s health in the national dialogue by raising awareness among decision-makers about the impact health policy has on women and their families. To learn more about the importance of making informed health decisions to improve heart-health outcomes, The Heart Truth® connected with vice president of education at HealthyWomen, Helaine Bader, M.P.H.
How does HealthyWomen aim to educate women on the importance of making informed decisions for their heart health?
HealthyWomen’s aim is to reach women where they are — in their health journey, stage of life, learning style, and literacy levels. Because heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S., we ensure that we weave heart health into various topics, such as our content on obesity, diabetes, menopause, mental health, and cancer.
How do women’s need for heart health education change across their lifespan?
From pregnancy and postpartum through midlife to postmenopausal years, women’s heart health evolves throughout their lifespan, and so do their educational needs. HealthyWomen educates about the potential risk of heart disease from using hormonal birth control to pregnancy, the intersection of heart disease with many chronic diseases in midlife, and the effects of menopause and aging on the heart.
What are the most important messages HealthyWomen strives to share with women about their heart health?
HealthyWomen wants women to understand the importance of learning about family history, knowing their important health numbers, and practicing healthy lifestyle behaviors. We also encourage women to advocate for their health and work with their healthcare provider to make informed decisions.
What types of outreach activities or educational resources does HealthyWomen offer related to heart health?
We create and broadly disseminate representative articles, infographics, fast facts, animated videos, interviews with health experts, and Real Women, Real Stories, all focusing on how to protect your heart health.
This year, in our WomenTalk series, we discussed risk factors for heart disease with our Women’s Health Advisory Council and board member, Dr. Nieca Goldberg. We also connected with Dr. Gina Wei from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to motivate women to take action to protect their heart health by understanding what their heart-health numbers mean, the risk factors for heart disease, and practical steps they can take to protect their heart.
A significant amount of our content is available in English and Spanish.
What have been some benefits of the partnership between HealthyWomen and The Heart Truth?
A major benefit of the partnership is our collective reach. By working together, we amplify our messages and protect more women from heart disease. For example, earlier this year, HealthyWomen partnered with The Heart Truth on a webinar encouraging women to take action to protect their heart health.
Are there resources from The Heart Truth that you have found useful and have shared in your education and outreach efforts?
All of the resources on The Heart Truth’s Take Action Towards Better Heart Health webpage have been useful in our efforts to educate midlife women. We also learn from other partners in the Healthy Hearts Network and participate in and support American Heart Month and National Wear Red Day every year.
Links to additional resources
