The YWCA National Capital Area supports the Unison
Health Plan's Heart Smart Sisters Initiative meant to
reduce the prevalence of heart disease in
African American and Latino women living
in the District of Columbia.

“African American women in the District suffer from heart disease, obesity, diabetes and generally poor health at alarmingly high numbers.”

—Kaiser Family Foundation, 2009

Here are the facts:

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in America, killing nearly half a million women each year at the rate of one per minute.
• More women die of heart disease than breast cancer, stroke and lung cancer combined.
• Although heart disease affects all women, it disproportionately affects women of color. African American and Latino women in particular have some of the highest rates of the major risk factors for heart disease, including obesity, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, tobacco use, and diabetes.
• Sixty-four percent of women who die suddenly of coronary heart disease have no previous symptoms.

Unison Health Plan of the Capital Area is pleased to announce the launch of a new signature community-wide initiative to reduce the prevalence of heart disease in African American and Latino women living in the District of Columbia.

Heart Smart Sisters is an innovative program designed to educate women of color about the risk factors for developing heart disease and empower them to make the necessary lifestyle changes to improve their individual health status and reduce the overall incidence of heart disease in the District.

The Heart Smart Sisters initiative is supported by a number of strategic partners including the YWCA of the National Capital Area, Greater Washington Urban League, Latino Federation of Greater Washington, Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals and community-based physicians and hospitals throughout the District of Columbia.

For information on how you can become a part of the Heart Smart Sisters initiative, please contact Unison Health Plan at 202.218.7879.

This program is funded in part by the Government of the District of Columbia Department of Health Care Finance.

For more information on this initiative click here. Click here for the Press Release. Visit the Unison Health Plan Website.