Are Women Lacking In Their Cholesterol and Heart Disease Knowledge?

Cholesterol, Heart Disease Sometimes Overlooked in Women

A survey conducted by the Society for Women's Health Research reveals that women need a little more education when it comes to heart disease and their cholesterol. A little over 500 women were interviewed by GfK Custom Research North America between June 29 to July 1, 2007. The survey addressed several cholesterol-related issues, such as how often they got tested, what their previous cholesterol levels were, and its association with heart disease.

From this survey, most of the women interviewed understood the consequences of having high cholesterol, such as atherosclerosis, a heart attack, or stroke. Additionally, the majority of women knew how their cholesterol levels could be lowered. For instance, 96% of the women interviewed knew that cholesterol could be lowered through exercise and 94% of the interviewees realized the important role that eating healthy played in lowering cholesterol.

Despite understanding how cholesterol can be lowered and the role it plays in heart disease, a little over half of the women (57%) could not recall what their last cholesterol level was. Also, a little over one-third (35%) of the women interviewed knew that there were different types of cholesterol (LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides) and the roles that they played in heart disease. More surprisingly, about one-third of the women interviewed did not know that there are no symptoms associated with high cholesterol and that, sometimes, diet and exercise may not be enough to lower cholesterol. From this interview, it appeared that the women who were more actively trying to control their cholesterol levels had a history of it in their families. However, the difference between these women and women without a family history of high cholesterol was very slight (66% versus 60%).

This study sheds light on the fact that, although women are aware of the consequences of high cholesterol, misinformation is still present. This misinformation among women is troubling, since heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, and persistently high cholesterol levels can contribute to heart disease. Additionally, if high cholesterol remains elevated for a long time in both men and women, a heart attack may occur. Women often do not experience the traditional warning signs that men experience when having a heart attack, which sometimes make the symptoms easier to dismiss.

If you would like full details of the study, you may view it on the Society for Women’s Health Research website.