Last update:

06/27/2007

Women’s Heart Center Expands Educational Programs To Hispanic Women

According to a recent study issued by the American Heart Association, Hispanic women in their 50s are more likely to develop heart disease as compared with Caucasian women who are in their 60s when heart disease is diagnosed. Although heart disease is the leading cause of death for Hispanic women and Hispanic women typically have several risk factors for heart disease, less than 30 percent of them are aware that heart disease is their number one health concern.

Staff from The Women’s Heart Center have launched an aggressive outreach and educational effort to expand Hispanic women’s awareness of heart disease, educate them about risk factors, present strategies for heart-healthy living and encourage them to register for a WHC risk screening.

 “We will schedule women’s heart educational programs in churches, schools, community organizations and Hispanic women’s groups,” commented Carolyn Strimike, RN, MSN, WHC Advanced Practice Nurse. “It is critical that we reach out to large numbers of Hispanic women throughout Passaic County, help them to understand heart disease and give them the tools to reduce their risk,” Ms. Strimike commented.

Recently, Sylvia Schlumpf, RN, a nurse in the SJRMC Cardiac Cath Lab, presented “Mujeres y el Riesgo Cardiaco” to more than 100 Hispanic women and men at Templo Shalom in Paterson.  The attendees also received gift bags with information on heart disease, blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes printed in Spanish.

Pastor Jose L. Rivera of Templo Shalom, Ms. Schlumpf, Pastor William Laguna of Templo Shalom and Ms. Strimike are shown after the presentation.

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