Education and prevention are critical when it comes to improving women’s heart health, and HR leaders like you can play a pivotal role in spreading awareness and empowering women to take charge of their cardiac health.
Consider my story: I was in my mid-40s and was experiencing persistent fatigue. I would get exhausted just walking across my apartment! I was diagnosed with a lung condition and sleep apnea. My heart was an afterthought. I spent years sleeping with a CPAP machine and visiting emergency rooms every few months to be treated for exhaustion and passing out. It was my lungs, the doctors assured me. I wasn’t getting enough oxygen and that’s why I was always tired. And I didn’t know enough to question their opinion.
Ten years later, I was 55 and hospitalized on three different occasions. My doctors finally turned their attention to my heart and discovered I suffered from supraventricular tachycardia and atrial fibrillation. Twice I had to be resuscitated with shocks from an AED. Finally, I was diagnosed with bradycardia (slow heartbeat) and in November 2022 I received a pacemaker device—a device that has allowed me to “get back to normal” and live my life the way I want to. But almost every day I wonder how my life could have changed with an earlier diagnosis and intervention.
I probably should have seen this coming. Unfortunately, heart disease runs in my family. My grandmother passed away at age 52 from a heart attack (it was her third). My mother has it. My sisters have it. And now, so do I. Between us, we have experienced high blood pressure, valve replacements, stent installations, and atrial fibrillation.
Focus on Preventive Care is Critical
My story underscores a much broader issue: heart disease’s prevalence among women is often underestimated. Shockingly, more than 60 million women in the United States have heart disease—it is the leading cause of female deaths. Despite this, many women remain unaware of the risk. As HR leaders, you can bridge this gap by educating women about preventive care and the resources available to them through employee benefits.
Preventive care services covered by health benefits can significantly improve women’s heart health outcomes. These services include screenings, vaccinations, and dental cleanings. However, they are only effective if women utilize them. Your job is key—to help raise awareness among female employees about the importance of seeking cardiac care and initiating preventive measures.
Effective communication strategies within the workplace can be instrumental in spreading this message. Whether through posters, intranet messages, newsletters, or emails, you can leverage various channels to educate and engage your employees. Partnering with benefits administrators can further enhance these efforts by providing tailored materials and support.
By advocating for women’s heart health, HR leaders can make a substantial impact. Encouraging women to prioritize their cardiac health can lead to life-changing outcomes. Together, through education and prevention, we can empower women to take control of their heart health and live the lives they desire.
Tackling Women’s Heart Health Together
I’m hoping my story will be a cautionary tale. Even people working in the industry (like me) aren’t always aware of the help they can get and the prevention tools at their disposal. I want to help spread the word and help women understand the power their benefits can make when it comes to prevention.
It has made a big difference in my life. Just last spring, months after my pacemaker surgery, I found myself in Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, needing to get from one end of the sprawling complex to the other. In my life before the pacemaker, a trip like that would have been inconceivable. Not anymore. As I walked through terminal after terminal, my heart beating strongly in my chest, I knew I was on the right path. Proper health care for your heart can make all the difference in leading the life you want. Getting out the message is an important task, one that we can tackle together.
Cheryl Merritt is a Director of Client Management for Luminare Health.