Young Women's Perceptions of Heart Disease Risk.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in women. Little is known about how adolescent and young adult women perceive their risk of heart disease.

Methods

We conducted eight online, semistructured focus groups with 35 young women aged 15-24 years recruited from two primary care practices in Boston, MA. Focus group discussion topics built upon data from a larger sample of women who completed the American Heart Association Women's Health Study survey. Topics included health concerns salient to young women, perceived susceptibility to heart disease, and barriers to heart-healthy behaviors. We used qualitative coding and thematic analyses to synthesize data.

Results

Participants were surprised to learn that heart disease is the leading cause of death in wom

SUBMITTER: Gooding HC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7606261 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature