SWHR Policy Agenda: Improving Women’s Heart Health Outcomes Across the Lifespan

POLICY ENGAGEMENT, CALL TO ACTION

Published 2/23/24

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States, resulting in one in every five deaths. In 2021, about 695,000 people died of heart disease. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated what was already considered a public health crisis of heart health. According to a study from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, by the second year of the pandemic, heart attack deaths increased by almost 30% for adults ages 25-44, almost 20% for adults ages 45-64, and by almost 14% for adults ages 65 and older.

Despite decades of progress, the heart health landscape in the United States is fraught with persistent challenges, spanning challenges with public and provider education, to research gaps, to barriers to accessing care.

The Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) created the SWHR Policy Agenda: Improving Women’s Heart Health Outcomes Across the Lifespan to discuss policy needs and opportunities in women’s heart health. Insights for the policy agenda were informed by SWHR’s Heart Health Policy Working Group convening in September 2023.

Download Agenda

We’re Talking Heart Health! Read My Lips

In 2023, SWHR began the the Read My Lip(id)s campaign to raise awareness about the risk factors for heart disease and how getting regular cholesterol screening—specifically, lipid panel testing—can empower women to understand their risk and take charge of their heart health.

Learn More

Learn More About Heart Health

9.27.24 | Heart Health

Now and Later: Understanding the Burden of Heart Disease and Depression in Young Women

Rates of depression and risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) are increasing in young women (aged 18-49), which may also increase the rates of premature CVD and poor cardiovascular health in women.

9.20.24 | Menopause

Moving from Invisibility to Empowerment for Women in Midlife

Midlife represents about 63% of women in the United States, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Yet, health research focused on this critical window for healthy aging interventions in women has been understudied.

9.3.24 | Heart Health

Diagnosing Cardiovascular Disease 101: What Women Should Know

Understanding women’s CVD risk and prioritizing early diagnoses are crucial for healthy aging and better patient outcomes.

8.7.24 | Policy

Senate Approves FY 2025 Labor-HHS Bill with Major Boosts for Women’s Health

On August 2nd the Senate Appropriations Committee advanced the fiscal year (FY) 2025 Labor, HHS, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill (Labor-HHS). The committee approved the spending bill with a bipartisan 25-3 vote.

This material was created by the Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) and is intended to serve as a public educational and informative resource. This material may be cited or shared on external channels, websites, and blogs, with attribution given to SWHR, or printed and displayed in its original formatted version. SWHR encourages the sharing and reposting of its content in order to spread awareness around women’s health issues. For specific questions about sharing SWHR content, please reach out to communications@swhr.org.