Cardiovascular care disparities in the United States are common along racial, ethnic, and gender lines. When considering the cardiovascular prevalence rates among racial/ethnic aspects, African American males have the highest (60.1%), followed by Black women (57.1) (Balla et al., 2020). The disparities are amplified when assessing women from minority racial backgrounds because of disproportionate diagnosis and treatment. In 2017, heart disease was identified as the main cause of death for women, and one in every 16 black women (6.5%) had coronary heart disease (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2020). Despite the high mortality rate associated with heart disease, only a few women recognize the dangers of cardiovascular diseases.
Advanced nurses could use the WISEWOMAN (Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for WOMen Across the Nation) toolkit to identify and reduce the risks for heart disease and increase cardiovascular care. The toolkit was designed to offer guidance and facilitate program planning and evaluation (CDC, 2018). It is divided into four sections, and each part contains several steps. The first segment is evaluation planning, where an advanced nurse engages with stakeholders and describes the program as well as the evaluation questions that document health and behavioral outcomes. Section two is evaluation implementation, which includes gathering of credible data from the selected population. The third segment is the analysis and reporting that consists of conclusions and lessons learned. The last section is a guide and resources needed when planning and implementing a program. The WISEWOMAN tool would help an advanced nurse identify a vulnerable group, such as Black women, gather sample population, and design data that will help determine risk profiles, genetics, and risk factors. The results of that program allow the nurses to develop specialized cardiovascular care targeting Black women.
References
Balla, S., Gomez, S. E., & Rodriguez, F. (2020). Disparities in cardiovascular care and outcomes for women from racial/ethnic minority backgrounds. Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine, 22(12), pp. 1-17. Web.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2018). Wisewoman program evaluation Toolkit | cdc.gov. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020). Women and heart disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web.