Abstract 30: Behavioral Change after Heart Disease Risk Assessment in Women

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Background: Heart disease is the leading killer of women in the United States. Unfortunately, most women are unaware of their individual risk. Studies have shown that awareness of cardiovascular (CV) disease risks correlates with positive behavior changes, including increased physical activity and weight loss. Methods: The Change of Heart (COH) Program is a university hospital based CV disease risk assessment program. The assessment included baseline weight, height, blood pressure, lipid profile, fasting glucose, and Framingham risk score in women 18 years of age and older. A 90-minute individual discussion of risk and recommendations for healthy lifestyle changes were given. Follow up questionnaires and newsletters designed to assess and encourage heart-healthy behavioral changes were given at 3 and 6 months after the initial visit to participants. We compared baseline vs. follow up self-reported activity levels and readiness for change. Results: At baseline, participants’ average age was 50.6 years, they exercised between 1 to 3 hours each week, and most had either never smoked or had quit smoking. When asked what they thought a woman’s greatest health problem was, 62% answered Heart Disease/Heart Attack. Additionally, 59% of participants felt moderately informed about women’s heart disease and 54% would call 911 if they thought they were having a heart attack. We found a statistically significant improvement in willingness to increase physical activity (p < 0.001), practice good eating habits (p < 0.001), avoid smoking (p <0.01), lose or maintain healthy weight (p <0.001), lower and maintain cholesterol levels (p < 0.001) and blood pressure (p < 0.001) over the course of the study. Conclusion: In a population of women who felt that they were moderately well informed on heart disease, only 62% knew that a woman’s greatest health risk was heart disease or a heart attack. Most women showed improvements in readiness for positive heart-healthy behavioral changes. This emphasizes the ability for a cardiovascular risk reduction program to positively influence a woman’s willingness for behavioral change.