The Singapore Heart Foundation (SHF) has unveiled critical findings from its Women’s Heart Health Survey; these are a revealing snapshot of the current state of women’s cardiovascular health in Singapore. The survey was conducted as part of SHF’s ongoing commitment to improving women’s heart health. The results bring to light the urgent need for increased awareness and community involvement to effectively combat cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women.
Addressing the Gap in CVD Awareness
Worldwide, CVD claims the lives of 8.6 million women each year, and accounts for 1 in 3 female deaths in Singapore. Despite CVD being the number one killer of women worldwide, the Women’s Heart Health Survey found that about 40% of respondents still mistakenly believe that breast cancer is the leading cause of death for women.
With many women still unaware that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a silent killer, SHF’s quadrennial Women’s Heart Health Survey is indeed significant. It assesses women’s understanding of heart disease and its risk factors, thereby enabling SHF to develop initiatives that address specific heart health issues.
Community Support: A Catalyst for Change
The Women’s Health Survey 2024 has also revealed that there is a worldwide acknowledgement that exercise is a crucial activity for maintaining heart health. Still over 86% of the women surveyed struggle to meet the recommended 150 to 300 minutes of exercise per week. Participants of the survey identified limited time, work fatigue and laziness as key obstacles to prioritising physical activity in their busy lives.
Interestingly, the survey also unveiled the powerful support of the community in promoting women’s heart health. An encouraging 83% of women surveyed highlighted their increased motivation to exercise when they are accompanied by their partners, family, or friends; and 86% expressed a willingness to encourage others to stay active. These findings underscore the importance of community-driven initiatives in helping women surmount the barriers to regular exercise.
Pledge Your Heart Walk 2024: A Call to Action
In line with the survey’s compelling findings on the essential role of community engagement in enhancing cardiovascular health in women, SHF has organised Pledge Your Heart Walk biennially since 2016. Held in collaboration with the global Go Red for Women campaign, the event seeks to rally the community to support women’s heart health. Pledge Your Heart Walk is also a powerful reminder for women to prioritise and commit to their heart health; they are urged to stay physically active, to sustain a balanced diet, and to go for regular health screenings.
This year, the event was held on Sunday, 23 June 2024 at Jurong Lake Gardens, Wave Plaza and brought together about 2,000 participants, embracing the shared mission to prioritise and promote women’s heart health.
In addition to announcing the Singapore Heart Foundation’s Women’s Heart Health Survey 2024 results, the community event endorsed the collaboration between the Women’s Integrated Network (WIN) and PAssion Wave Jurong Lake Gardens in rallying women and their loved ones together for the event. Participants were treated to a morning of fun-filled water sports try outs @ PAssionWAve such as Dragon Boating, Kayaking, Pedal Boating, and Zumba sessions, among other initiatives.
Ms Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Ministry of National Development was the Guest of Honour of the event. She delivered the opening address, and took charge of the flag off. She expressed her support for the community-driven initiative, and affirmed that, “The recent Singapore Heart Foundation (SHF) Women’s Heart Health Survey shows that 67% of us are now engaging in leisure activities like walking, exercising, or playing sports, up from 58% in 2020. This reflects growing awareness of the importance of physical activity for overall well-being among women. The PA Women’s Integration Network Council is happy to work with SHF in championing heart health for women, and helping more women to get active and stay active.”
Making Heart Health More Accessible
The survey also revealed that only 16% of women consider themselves well informed about heart disease– with those aged between 50 to 64 the least informed about the silent killer. Furthermore, it established that an increasing number of women find it challenging to obtain accurate and comprehensive information on heart disease and stroke in women.
In the light of these findings, the Singapore Heart Foundation remains committed to its dedication to serve as a trusted provider of heart health resources. In a continued push for women’s heart health, the social service agency in Singapore is revamping its outreach strategy. As part of their continued dynamic efforts, they are expanding exercise-related content across their social media and website, making heart health more viable for women. In the upcoming months, SHF will continue to roll out targeted initiatives to resolve the gaps identified in the Women’s Heart Health Survey 2024.
Dr Chan Wan Xian, Cardiologist and Chairperson of the Go Red for Women Committee, Singapore Heart Foundation, emphasised the crucial role of community engagement in preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) among women. She shared, “The recent survey showed that only 16 per cent of women consider themselves well-informed about heart disease. Many expressed uncertainties about heart health assessment and the information available on heart disease. The majority noted that heart disease assessment was not routinely discussed during their medical appointments. We hope that by organising community events such as the walkathon today, we can raise awareness of heart disease among women and spread the message that heart health screening and heart disease prevention are equally important in women.”
For more information on SHF’s initiatives that champion heart health, please visit www.myheart.org.sg.
Images: Singapore Heart Foundation
