| Cardiovascular diseases have been a leading cause of death for both men and women for more than a century, taking more people's lives than the next seven causes of death combined. Women and minority groups face a disproportionate risk for cardiovascular diseases. South Asian Indians, in particular, face among the highest risk of all ethnic groups studied. A cross-sectional, descriptive survey was conducted to assess the knowledge of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases among South Asian Indian-American women. A large majority of the women were highly knowledgeable about the common risk factors for heart disease, but there were wide gaps in their knowledge about risk factors that are ethnic-, gender-, and age-specific. Respondents acquired information about heart disease from a variety of sources but only a small minority had discussed their risk factors with a health care professional. These findings suggest opportunities for health education intervention in this community. |
