WomenHeart has been working against gender discrimination in heart health care for twenty years now. A new report by the Journal of the American Heart Association shows that despite the great strides we’ve made, women still have so much to fight for when it comes to healthcare. The research found that women with heart disease report a worse quality of care when compared to men. This is a renewed call to action– we need to work together to ensure all women receive the care and treatment they deserve.
The data also underscores the need for further investigation, as Cardiosmart explains:
“Unfortunately, findings suggest that women with heart disease experience poorer quality of care than men, which can result in poorer patient satisfaction and outcomes. As a result, authors encourage future studies to help explore these gender differences. Authors also highlight the need for efforts to help ensure that women and men receive the same quality of care, regardless of their gender.”
Of course, this report does not come as a surprise to us. For years, our WomenHeart Championshave told their own heart stories of misdiagnoses and mistreatment. We will continue to support, advocate, and educate on behalf of the millions of women living with and at risk of heart disease.