Myths about heart disease among urban women revealed

 Dr. Jagdish Hiremath – Cardiologist, Pune.

• Setting the Context
• Survey Methodology
• Demographic profile of the sample
• Health consciousness among urban women in India 
• Proactively taking regular health check up
• Frequency of getting an Cholesterol test done
• Frequency of getting an ECG test done 
• Awareness about Heart Care & Diseases
• Awareness of stress test for detection of Coronary Artery Disease
• Knowledge on either Heart attack or Coronary artery disease
• Awareness on symptoms on heart disease
• Awareness of various treatments for heart disease
• Awareness of Interventional methods due to heart disease incidences in the family
• Awareness of key cause of Heart ailments
• Awareness on susceptibility to heart disease as compared to other disease
• General Awareness on Heart incidences at a global level , in year 2010
• Health Information Source
• Need for knowledge on proactive heart care
• Conclusions

Knowledge on either Heart attack or Coronary artery disease

Age wise Split of awareness about Coronary artery disease

Observations:

• Heart attack is common knowledge.
• Awareness about Coronary artery disease is almost  
   the same in both the age groups.

Inference:

• At an overall level, the awareness about CAD is low. 

Awareness on symptoms on heart disease

Observations:

• Awareness of chest pain, pain in neck, arm and shoulder & short of 
   breath followed by chest tightness  are the key symptoms mentioned.
  
• Sweating is one of the other symptoms mentioned.

Average rating for each of the preventive measures 

Observations:

• The survey showed a fairly good level of awareness among women on
   heart disease preventive techniques  and heart ailments symptoms.
  
•  On a priority rating highest rating has been given to 
   regular exercise. 
  
•  Losing weight is the next highest priority for 
  prevention of heart disease. 
  

Inference: 

• Even when women are aware of the fact that taking  regular exercise
   and reducing the intake of cholesterol rich food are important aspects
   of heart  healthy life  style but the research shows they  are not
   proactive  enough as seen from the low percentage of  cholesterol
   level test done.

Awareness of various treatments for heart disease

Observations:

• As bypass surgery has been in existence for a longer period of time,
   awareness of by pass surgery as a treatment for heart disease is
   higher than  interventional methods. 
  

Awareness of Interventional methods due to heart disease incidences in the family

Observations:

• Approx 57% of the people who are aware about interventional methods
   have had heart disease incidences in their families.

Inference:

• A higher percentage of people are aware about interventional methods
   of treatment due to incidences of heart ailments in their families.