Women and heart disease forum
With heart disease the No. 1 killer of Australian women, the Heart Foundation is committed to improving women’s heart health and uniting women against heart disease.
This is one of the Heart Foundation’s six strategic directions in its Championing Hearts Strategic Plan 2008-12. In order to set strategic priorities with stakeholders, the Heart Foundation hosted a Women and Heart Disease Forum in Sydney in late 2010. The forum was the first of its kind in Australia.
Below is a snapshot of what happened at the forum. You can also read the full report here.
Objectives
- Showcase current Australian evidence about women and heart disease
- Discuss prevention, management, policy and research
- Identify emerging issues, gaps, opportunities and potential collaborations that will inform future actions around reducing the burden of heart disease on Australian women
Key note speakers
- Professor Annette Dobson, Director of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, University of Queensland
- Dr Fiona Turnbull, Co-Director Cardiovascular Division, The George Institute
- Ms Carolyn Astley, Clinical Effectiveness Manager, Department of Cardiology, Flinders Medical Centre
- Associate Professor Juleen Cavanaugh (consumer experience)
- Professor Trish Davidson, Professor of Cardiovascular and Chronic Care, Curtin University
- Associate Professor Rosemary Knight, Principal Adviser for Mental Health and Chronic Disease Division, Australian Department of Health and Ageing
Background
Findings from four Australian seminal studies* were presented, showing:
- Low awareness of heart disease risks by women
- Poor understanding among women of the heart disease dangers posed by high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes
- Lower rates of in-hospital procedures for women than men. It is uncertain whether this is caused by a difference in care or if there are other factors involved
- High economic impact of heart disease in Australian women, with $2682.8 million spent in 2004-05
Find out more facts and figures about heart disease and women here.
Discussion
Key points of discussion at the forum included:
- GPs underestimating the risks for women and therefore generating fewer test referrals
- Gender differences – women with heart disease live with a greater number of other conditions such as depression
- A high rate of death and disability in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population
- Fewer women attending cardiac rehabilitation after a heart attack
Priorities
A range of priority areas were raised for government, non-government and universities to consider including:
- More integrated health services for women
- New research priorities on women and heart disease
- Continuing focus on reducing risk factors such as obesity
- Simplifying guidelines for doctors in treating heart disease
- Developing strategies for high risk groups such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, and culturally and linguistically diverse populations
- Ongoing need for effective data on women and heart disease
- Development and training for the health industry on gender-based needs
The Heart Foundation is using the forum’s outcomes to identify and inform program directions, research priorities and collaboration opportunities. To find out more, contact the Heart Foundation on 1300 55 02 82 (local charges apply).
*The studies were: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Women and Heart Disease Report, Review of the Australian and international literature, market research qualitative research findings and results from the Heart Foundation’s Heart Watch omnibus survey.