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Background
According to the FDA, heart disease is the number one killer of women in America
(FDA, 2018). Post-menopausal women are more at risk of death from heart disease than any
other groups (Agha, Loucks, Tinker, Waring, Michaud, Foraker, . . . Eaton, 2014). Mercy
Medical center in Redding has received accolades for the heart health care it provides on
numerous occasions, ranking in the top 10% in the nation in 2013 (Dignity Health, 2018). Mercy
Medical Center and Dignity Health has a large presence in the community and with an aging
population, 42.5% of people in Redding are over the age of 45, hearth health issues are
incredibly relevant to this community. Likewise, as of the 2010 census, Redding's population was
Proposal
Healthy behaviors can mitigate some of the risk of heart disease, making education an
increasingly important function of Mercy Medical Center (Agha, et al., 2014). Eating a healthy
diet, taking care of other medical conditions, knowing the signs of a heart attack and knowing
how to use aspirin are some of the healthy behaviors the public should be educated on to prevent
heart disease (FDA, 2018). Another heart healthy behavior is to seek preventative care at Mercy
Medical Center. By running a campaign that educates the public about hearth health, Mercy
Medical Center makes it clear that it cares about the members of its community. A campaign
would also build positive associations between hearth health and the care the community can
The campaign will focus on three target demographics; women over 50, women under 50
and men over 30. Women over 50, or post-menopausal women are at a higher risk of heart
disease than any other group, making an educational campaign concerning heart health
particularly relevant for that demographic (FDA, 2018). Since this age group is most likely to
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suffer heart disease related issues, this demographic is more likely to be looking for a hospital to
care for those needs. Women under 50 are a more latent group, though still highly relevant.
Appropriate preventative care will more greatly benefit women who do not yet suffer from heart
disease, so an education campaign should interest them. Likewise, they most likely have post-
menopausal women in their lives who they care about and so may spread awareness of the
campaign to our most relevant demographic. The average age of men married for the first time in
the United States is 29 (Huffington Post, 2013). Men over the age of 30 are our least important
target public, but they need to know about heart healthy behaviors because of the women in their
lives. Aiming certain aspects of the campaign towards adult males will increase the number of
Conclusion
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention claims that heart disease related deaths
had been declining steadily, but have recently begun to increase again (CDC, 2016). This trend is
a concern, especially when we consider that it is largely preventable. A 2005 study conducted by
the CDC revealed that 92% of respondents “recognized chest pain as a symptom of a heart
attack” however, “only 27% were aware of all major symptoms” (CDC, 2018). Mercy Medical
Center has one of the top heart disease centers in the nation and must continue to take steps to
lead the health profession by example with the epidemic of heart disease. By launching an
education campaign, Mercy Medical Center can increase patient traffic, help its community and
Resources
Agha, Loucks, Tinker, Waring, Michaud, Foraker, . . . Eaton. (2014). Healthy Lifestyle and
Observational Study: The Women's Health Initiative Observational Study. Journal of the
Borresen, K. (2013, November 14). 5 Good Reasons To Get Married While You're Young.
young_n_4227924.html
CDC. (2016, August 24). National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved from
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db254.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
Dignity Health. (2018, July 6). Heart Care. Retrieved from https://www.dignityhealth.org/north-
state/locations/mercy-redding/services/heart-care
FDA. (2018, February 20). Women's Health Topics - Heart Health for Women. Retrieved from
https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForWomen/WomensHealthTopics/ucm1
17974.htm
United States Census Bureau. (2011, May 05). 2010 Census Interactive Population Map (Text
https://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0659920