Combined, heart disease and stroke account for over 50% of all deaths among Los Angeles County women

The Los Angeles County Office of Women’s Health and the American Heart Association have launched a joint heart-health education and stroke prevention program targeting low-income women. Combined, heart disease and stroke account for over 50% of all deaths among Los Angeles County women.

“Heart disease is a major cause of death among women in the County. The Summer Heart Tour is designed to alert potentially at-risk women of their heart health status,” said Ellen Eidem, M.S., Acting Director of the Los Angeles County Office of Women’s Health. “Throughout the summer, the program will provide women with important screenings and information that they may not receive elsewhere.”

The Summer Heart Tour provides free comprehensive health assessments including clinical breast exams and screenings for cervical cancer, cholesterol, diabetes, and hypertension. This innovative joint project is designed to reach low-income, uninsured women who would otherwise not be able to access screenings. A mobile clinic travels to various locations throughout Los Angeles County, providing information and services in English, Spanish, Armenian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean and Vietnamese.

“The Summer Heart Tour is part our commitment to connect with hard to reach populations in our efforts to protect and improve the health of Los Angeles County residents,” said Jonathan Fielding, M.D., M.P.H., Director of Public Health and Health Officer. “We know that health screenings are an important tool in identifying possible health problems. In addition we are working with many other concerned groups to help stop the epidemic of overweight and obesity, major contributors to heart disease”

A calendar of Summer Heart Tour screening locations is available on the health department’s website, www.ladhs.org/owh. Participants can register for screenings by calling a free multilingual hotline at 1-800-793-8090.

The Office of Women’s Health (OWH) was established in 1998 to improve the health status of women in Los Angeles County by serving as the focal point for strategic planning and promoting comprehensive and effective approaches to improving women’s health.

The American Heart Association is the largest nonprofit voluntary health organization fighting heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases, which kill over 960,000 Americans annually. Nationwide, the organization has grown to include more than 22.5 million volunteers and supporters in communities across the country who carry out its mission of reducing cardiovascular death and disability by 25 percent by the year 2010.

For more information about the Summer Heart Tour or the Los Angeles County Office of Women’s Health, please call (800) 793-8090 or visit www.ladhs.org/owh.

For more information about American Heart Association programs, please call (213) 291-7146 or visit www.americanheart.org.