Healing Hispanic Hearts

While heart disease education and treatment has improved over the years, a recent study in the Journal of Women's Health indicates that certain groups may need additional support and education. In particular, the study found that Hispanic women were significantly less likely to know the risks of heart disease and the symptoms of a heart attack.   In a study performed by the Columbia University Medical Center, over 700 respondents from white and Hispanic populations were sampled. Surprisingly, only 27% of Hispanics were aware that heart disease is the nations leading cause of death, as opposed to 88% of whites. The percentage of participants that answered correctly was even lower when a significant language barrier existed.   Additionally, while 81% of white respondents knew the symptoms of heart attack, only 59% of Hispanic women did. This disparity is a significant risk factor for those requiring immediate care and treatment.   Interestingly, of those that responded to the survey, 67% of the Hispanic respondents were overweight or obese, compared to 42% of the whites. This indicates that perhaps the disparity exists in the availability of education and wellness resources.   The extrapolated suggestion is that future campaigns directed towards improving wellness and reducing heart related conditions should include a focus that targets minority groups.   Source: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_143881.html