Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation (WISEWOMAN)
The WISEWOMAN Program helps underserved women reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) through timely, high quality screening, education and intervention for elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure in Latina women ages 40-64.
CVD accounts for 54% of all deaths in the US
CVD is the leading cause of death for US women
Heart disease death rates in Latina women age 35+ living in California are higher than the national average
Latinas have higher prevalence of overweight, sedentary lifestyles, and diabetes than most other race/ethnic groups
The WISEWOMAN Program is a nation-wide demonstration project supported by funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
California's WISEWOMAN Program is called Heart of the Family, or Corazón de la Familia. The goal of this project is to reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease in Latino women who are also enrolled in Cancer Detection Programs: Every Woman Counts (CDP: EWC). These women are aged 40 - 64, have low income, and are uninsured or underinsured.
Heart of the Family aims to reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors by providing timely, high quality blood pressure and cholesterol screenings, and lifestyle change interventions. Currently in its pilot study stage, Heart of the Family will pilot test the intervention design and materials from North Carolina's WISEWOMAN program, known as "New Leaf," to refine them for California's Latina population.
Click here to view the WISEWOMAN Program Fact Sheet.
California's Program also has a research component to help assess the effectiveness of the program's intervention. Selected through a Request for Application process, four qualified clinic sites will conduct the 2 year pilot project.
The pilot sites participating in Heart of the Family are:
Olive View - UCLA Education and Research Institute/ Mid-Valley Comprehensive Health Center, Los Angeles County
Franciscan Clinics, d.b.a. QueensCare Family Clinics, Los Angeles County
Vista Community Clinic, San Diego County
Family Health Centers of San Diego, San Diego County
Pilot sites began client recruitment and screening in January 2006.
California's WISEWOMAN program has been identified by the Center of Excellence for Training and Research as an effective intervention to help women prevent, delay and control cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases by eating healthy, increasing physical activity and ceasing tobacco use. Click here for the Center of Excellence for Training and Research web page.
For more information on California's WISEWOMAN program, contact the Cancer Detection Section at: California.WISEWOMAN@cdph.ca.gov
Click here for web resources on women's health, heart disease, and topics related to cardiovascular health.
The North Carolina New Leaf curriculum contains assessment tools and health education materials that promote a healthy diet and increased physical activity, as well as encourage smoking cessation. For more information on the North Carolina project please go to http://www.hpdp.unc.edu/WISEWOMAN/index.htm
For more information on the nationwide WISEWOMAN project go to http://www.cdc.gov/wisewoman
Email the Cancer Detection Section.