American Heart Month, celebrated every February, is an important reminder to understand and address risks for heart disease – the number one killer of women in the United States. We conducted a survey of more than 1,100 women with Morning Consult in partnership with the American Heart Association, to learn about their perceptions of the importance of heart health and experiences managing heart-related conditions.

1. Women’s Heart Health Survey

2. Key Points
• Heart-related conditions are prevalent among women in the U.S.: More than one in three say they have a heart condition, and
more than two in five have a family history of heart conditions
• Nearly a third (31%) of women who do not have heart conditions say they have a family history of them
• Women with a history of heart conditions in their family are more than twice as likely to report having a heart condition
themselves (55%) as women who do not have a family history of heart conditions (23%)
• Heart conditions are seen as a very serious issue in the U.S., and acknowledged as the leading cause of death among women,
however most are unaware of their personal health measures (such as cholesterol) that can be indicative of heart health
• Nearly all women (92%) agree heart-related conditions are a serious issue in the U.S., and a plurality (45%) identify heart
disease as the leading cause of death among women, however just 18% of women say heart health is the most pressing
health issue in the U.S. and 57% to 62% are unaware of their numbers for cholesterol, blood sugar, BMI, or waist
circumference
• Pharmacists are seen as a good, if underutilized, resource for managing heart health, and most women say they are likely to
get a free heart screening at a local pharmacy or retail health clinic
• More than three in five (64%) women say pharmacists play a role in managing heart health, but few have asked their
pharmacist questions about heart health (15%) or about heart medications they are taking (36%)
• Of those who did have questions about their heart medications, pharmacists were found to be very helpful (70%)
Methodology
This poll was conducted from January 11-14, 2018, among a national sample of 1141 Women 18 and Over. The interviews were conducted online and the data were weighted
to approximate a target sample of Women 18 and Over based on age, race/ethnicity, gender, educational attainment, and region. Results from the full survey have a margin
of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
2

3. Heart Health among Women in the U.S.
3

4. Heart related issues are prevalent among women in the U.S.:
more than one-third (37%) self-identify as having a heart-related condition
4
Do you, yourself, have a heart-related condition (such as high cholesterol, hypertension or high blood pressure, heart or arterial disease, diabetes,
history of stroke or a heart defect) whether or not you are managing these conditions through lifestyle modification and/or medication?

5. More than two in five women (43%) also say they have a history of heart-related conditions in their family
5
To the best of your knowledge, do you have a history of any heart-related conditions in your family?

6. 31% of women who say they do not have a heart condition say they have a family history of heart conditions
6
To the best of your knowledge, do you have a history of any heart-related conditions in your family?

7. Nearly a quarter of women who say they do not have a family history of heart conditions (23%) say they
themselves have a heart-related condition
7
Do you, yourself, have a heart-related condition (such as high cholesterol, hypertension or high blood pressure, heart or arterial disease, diabetes,
history of stroke or a heart defect) whether or not you are managing these conditions through lifestyle modification and/or medication?

8. Just over a third of women with heart-related conditions (35%) are not taking medications to help treat their conditions
8
Are you currently taking medications to help treat your heart condition?
*Showing among women who say they have a heart-related condition n=424

9. Perceptions of Heart Health
9

10. Women largely identify mental health as the most pressing health issue facing women in the U.S. (27%),
followed by cancer (19%) and heart health (18%)
10
Which of the following would you say is the most pressing health issue facing women in the U.S.?
Don’t know / No opinion

11. Fewer than one in ten women under the age of 45 identify heart health as the most serious health issue facing women
11
Which of the following would you say is the most pressing health issue facing women in the U.S.?
Don’t know / No
opinion
Heart Health
Mental Health

12. While not seen as the most pressing health issue, a plurality (45%) of women nonetheless identify
heart disease as the leading cause of death among women in the U.S.
12
To the best of your knowledge, which of the following is the leading cause of death for women?
Don’t know / No
opinion

13. Women under the age of 45 largely identify breast cancer as the leading cause of death among women
13
To the best of your knowledge, which of the following is the leading cause of death for women?
Don’t know / No
opinion

14. Heart-related conditions are nearly unanimously (92%) seen as a serious issue in the U.S.
14
How serious of an issue do you consider heart-related conditions to be in the U.S.?
Don’t know / No
opinion

15. Nearly all women also say it is important (93%) to take daily steps to promote good heart health
15
Generally speaking, how important do you think it should be for people to take daily steps to promote good heart health?
Don’t know / No
opinion

16. While heart-related conditions are seen a very serious issue, most women say they are not aware of their numbers for
measures that can be indicative of hearth health, such as cholesterol, blood sugar, BMI, or waist circumference
16
Do you know what your personal numbers are for the following key measures of heart health?

17. Taking Steps Toward Better Heart Health
17

18. Most women (77%) say they have good or excellent access to information about heart health
18
How would you rate your ability to easily access information you need about heart health?
Don’t know / No
opinion

19. Women are most likely to go to their primary care provider for information about heart health (72%)
followed by the internet (51%)
19
Which of the following resources would you use to learn more about heart health? Please select all that apply.

20. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of women say pharmacists play a role in managing heart health
20
How much of a role do each of the following play in managing heart health?
Don’t know / No
opinion

21. Most women (85%) have never asked a pharmacist questions about heart health
21
Have you ever asked a pharmacist questions about heart health?

22. A majority of women who have asked their pharmacist questions about heart health (58%) do so at least once a year
22
How often do you tend to ask a pharmacist questions about heart health?
*Showing among women who say they have asked a pharmacist
questions about heart health n=169
58%

23. Two-thirds (64%) of women who take heart medications have not asked a pharmacist questions
about those medications
23
Have you ever asked a pharmacist questions about the heart medication(s) you are taking?
*Showing among women who say they are taking medication(s) to treat a heart-related condition n=274

24. Among those who have asked questions about their heart medications (36%), nearly all (94%) say their
pharmacist was helpful
24
How helpful was the pharmacist in answering questions you had about the heart medication(s) you are taking?
*Showing among women who say they are taking medication(s) to treat a heart-
related condition and have asked a pharmacist about those medications n=98
Don’t know / No opinion

25. Trust in the performing health provider and cost are seen as very important factors when it comes
to receiving heart screens, and convenience of the location is seen as overall important (86%)
25
When it comes to receiving heart screens from a health care provider, how important are each of the following?

26. When receiving heart screens, trust in the performing health provider is paramount, followed by cost
26
When it comes to receiving heart screens, which of the following is most important?
Don’t know / No opinion

27. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of women say they are likely to get a free heart screening at a
neighborhood pharmacy or retail health clinic
27
If you knew you could receive a free heart screening at your neighborhood pharmacy or retail health clinic, how likely are you to go?
Don’t know / No
opinion