Cardiovascular Disease Knowledge, Physician Communication and Health Information Sources in Ultra-orthodox Hasidic Jewish Women - The 63rd Annual Conference of the Israel Heart Society in association with the Israel Society of Cardiothoracic Surgery 12-13 April 2016, David Intercontinental Hotel, Tel-Aviv, Israel

Elisheva Leiter ¹ Keren Greenberg ¹ Sima Wetzler ¹ Milka Donchin ^1,2 Maha Nubani Iva Littman ¹ Maha Nubani ¹ Sara Siemiatycki Chaim Lotan Sara Siemiatycki ³ Chaim Lotan ¹ Osnat Keidar Donna R. Zwas Osnat Keidar ¹ Donna R. Zwas ¹

¹Linda Joy Pollin Cardiovascular Wellness Institute for Women, Hadassah University Medical Center, Cardiology, Jerusalem
²Braun School of Public Health, Health Promotion
³Bishvilaych Women's Health Organization, Health Promotion

Purpose: The Ultra-Orthodox Jewish (UOJ) community represents 10% of Israel`s population. UOJ women engage in lower levels of health behaviors and have higher rates of diabetes and obesity. Barriers are likely cultural, religious and socio-economic. Research in this population is scant. This study explored cardiovascular disease (CVD) knowledge and sources of health information.

Methods: As part of a health promotion program, 239 UOJ women from a homogeneous Hasidic community in Israel were randomly sampled and asked to complete questionnaires. Questions included demographics and knowledge among other health-related items. Knowledge items included identification of heart attack symptoms (HASx) and CVD risk factors.

Results: Women`s age range was 17-74, mean number of children was 6.5, 54% were below poverty level, and 54% were overweight or obese. Only 2% correctly identified all HASx and 33% all CVD risk factors. Most women identified chest pressure (87%) and chest pain (82%) as HASx and fewer identified shoulder pain (55%), shortness of breath (62%), dizziness (34%), and fatigue (14%). Most women identified physical activity (93%), weight (96%), cholesterol (94%), blood pressure (94%), stress (94%), diet (95%), and smoking (93%) as CVD risk factors while fewer identified family history (65%), diabetes (75%), and menopause (52%). Women reported that the number one source of health information was their doctor and 59% reported that their doctors do not discuss any preventive health topics with them. Education was associated with knowledge of HASx (p=.001).

Conclusions: This study is the first investigating CVD knowledge and sources of health information in an UOJ Hasidic population. Hasidic women reported somewhat limited CVD knowledge and reliance on their doctors for health information. Providing health information to UOJ Hasidic women during doctor visits may increase their CVD knowledge.