Adnkronos Milan, April 24 (Adnkronos Salute) – What women don't say also depends on what women don't know. For example, the majority, more than 6 out of 10, are unaware that cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the female population. "A silent misinformation that can have dramatic consequences", warn the authors of the study 'A Call for Women', coordinated by the Irccs Policlinico San Donato on the outskirts of Milan and published in the 'European Journal of Preventive Cardiology'.
The survey, on over 3.500 women from Lombardy, certifies that knowledge of the 'pink galaxy' on heart risk is still too low. Not only that. Within the female universe, the study identifies 3 'identikits' based on health conditions, awareness of cardiovascular risk and level of risk. Profiles from which it emerges that young women are those towards whom prevention campaigns must be aimed: they are in fact the most 'reckless' in terms of lifestyle, but at the same time the least aware of the risks they run, despite the tools they have at their disposal due to age, education, employment.
Leading the study is Serenella Castelvecchio, head of the Cardiovascular Prevention and Gender Medicine Program at the Policlinico San Donato, which has been fighting for years to promote cardiovascular prevention for women, recalls the Gruppo San Donato (Gsd) of which the Irccs of San Donato Milanese is the leader. The research – they explain from Gsd – focused on Lombardy considering the unique demographic and economic characteristics of the region, such as the high number of inhabitants, the vast network of school and university facilities and the highest regional gross domestic product.
The cross-sectional observational survey involved 3.537 women (response rate 64,3%), average age 48, generally characterized by unhealthy eating habits, low propensity for physical activity, but low consumption of tobacco and alcohol. Awareness of heart risk was investigated by asking them what was the main cause of death in the female population among cardiovascular diseases, tumors, violence and other: overall, just over 35% indicated cardiovascular diseases as the first cause, while about 42% attributed (erroneously) the primacy to cancer.
Through a cluster analysis, the study identified 3 distinct groups of women, each with specific characteristics and needs. Cluster 1 is composed of women with an average age of 53, with a good level of education and a reasonable employment rate. They are the most physically active, most have a normal body mass index (BMI) and at least one pathology, including hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, which could explain a greater awareness (38%). Cluster 2 contains women with an average age of 62, mostly in menopause, with a lower level of education, often retired. They show a higher BMI and a high burden of chronic diseases. It is the group that most relies on the family doctor for health information (36,1%). Finally, Cluster 3: young people with an average age of 38, with the highest level of education and employment rate. Consistent with their age, they have the best general health and perhaps for this reason they feel 'invulnerable'. As for lifestyles, they are contemptuous of danger: 19,3% smoke, 29,8% do not do physical activity, 38,6% practice it only occasionally. Low awareness (33,2%) makes "targeted preventive campaigns for the younger age groups urgent".
The majority of women who participated in the study – 64,4% to be precise, 2.238 women in absolute terms – do not have adequate awareness of cardiovascular risk, the authors decree. Specifically, all the groups analyzed show low awareness of cardiovascular disease, but show very different lifestyles and sociodemographic and health data, which until now have never been exploited to effectively segment the population and support diversified education campaigns that reach all age groups in different social, cultural and professional contexts. The survey therefore underlines the need to overcome the 'one size fits all' approach, to instead design personalized and therefore more effective prevention interventions.
"The data - comments Castelvecchio - clearly show that prevention for women must become personalized, modulated on the age, socioeconomic context and clinical experience of women. Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death worldwide, especially among women. In the European Union they are responsible for 54% of deaths in the female gender and 43% in the male gender, percentages that in Italy settle at 37,7% for women and 31,7% for men (Istat data June 2024). To address this emergency, we can no longer talk to women as a homogeneous group. We need a new, tailor-made approach. The study represents a snapshot of the state of awareness of women in Lombardy, but offers concrete ideas for the whole of Italy: education, empowerment and awareness - suggests the specialist - are the 3 key words for targeted campaigns and for a prevention network that starts from real data and the specific needs of women".