The Impact of Emotional Support in Managing Cardiovascular Diseases Among Hispanic and Non -Hispanic Menopausal Women Aged 55 to 84 Years (ePub)

Contrary to the perception of women that heart disease is a disease that will only strike men, heart disease was also the number one killer among women as of 2000 (Beattie, 2000). After the age of 50, nearly half of all womens deaths were due to cardiovascular disease (CVD; Beattie, 2000). CVD has been the leading cause of death among women in the United States, accounting for half-a-million deaths and 2.5 million hospitalizations annually (Deaton, 2000). Women who belong to ethnic minority groups have exhibited CVD risk factors to a greater extent than Caucasian women (Juarbe, 1998). Many researchers have found greater prevalence of high blood pressure, physical inactivity, excess weight, and diabetes in African American women than in Caucasian women (Fleury, 2000). Even fewer researchers have examined CVD risk factors among Hispanic Americans, who constituted 11% of the population in the United States in 2002 (Eyler, Vest, Sanderson, & Wibur, 2002).
More researchers must conduct studies regarding the risks of heart disease in Hispanic women. It is important to note that there is a deep connection between a persons emotions, nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system (Cohen, 2004). There was a link demonstrated in the literature between the availability of emotional support and the direct health outcomes produced (Eyler et al., 2002). As a result, this study was intended to investigate the impact of emotional support from friends, family, and medical professionals in helping to deal with CVD in Hispanic and non-Hispanic menopausal women. The chapter begins with the background of the problem, problem statement, and significance of the study. The chapter will include the research questions that guided the study and a short definition of the main terms. The theoretical framework for the study is also a part of the content, with further discussion provided in the literature review. These sections establish the practical goals for the study and illustrate the need for continued CVD management research in the field of health.