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Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine if awareness of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in a convenience sample of African-American women improved after a nursing education intervention. The educational intervention was designed to improve participants ' awareness regarding to risk factors associated with CVD. In reviewing the literature on the topic of CVD awareness in the population, there were many deficits. The literature revealed a wealth of information on educating women of different ethnicities on the risk factors of CVD. There were not many studies assessing the awareness of African-American women. A one-group, pre-test and post-test, quasi-experimental design was used for this study. Thirty-one African-American women ranging from 21 to over 60 years old responded to the 7-question pre-test and post-test surveys and participated in the study. Results of the study showed participants were able to identify the risk factors of CVD; however, they did not think they were at risk for CVD. Women in both the pre- and post-tests were aware of symptoms associated with having a heart attack. Eighty-percent of women reported increased awareness of CVD after the educational intervention. Contributions and gains from the current study in African-American women were significant. Results from the current study indicated a need for more research in the area in populations of African-American women.
Key Words: Cardiovascular Disease, African American Women, Assessment of Awareness
Introduction
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality in the U.S. (Almond, Salisbury, & Ziebland, 2012). It is a topic that is well known in the healthcare field. Heart disease is the number one cause of death for both women and men. Women are impacted greatly by heart disease, in fact, 1 in 4 women, is affected by heart disease (Almond, et al., 2012). In the nursing arena, the topic of CVD is addressed on a daily basis. There continues to be a lack of awareness in African-American women regarding the risks of cardiovascular disease, even with the increased amount of information available to the public. The literature review showed a wealth of information on the growing rate and symptoms of CVD in women, but does not show sufficient awareness assessment of women, specifically African-American women. The purpose of this research study was to assess awareness...