Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has released a report that highlights Nebraska's WISEWOMAN program, a community intervention program funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that helps prevent heart disease and stroke by providing screenings and counseling for low-income women.
The report is the second in a series of healthcare success stories featuring innovative programs and initiatives that officials hope can serve as models for a reformed American healthcare system.
“WISEWOMAN is a great example of a community-based prevention program that can help keep Americans healthy and out of the hospital,” said Sebelius. “In Nebraska alone, WISEWOMAN helped 19,000 women live healthier lives and significantly reduced their risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.”
The program started in 2000; there are now 21 similar programs across the country. In Nebraska, WISEWOMAN partners with healthcare providers across the state to provide low-income, under- or uninsured women with the information they need to help prevent heart attack and stroke. The program provides risk factor screenings at clinics throughout Nebraska and refers women at risk of heart attack or stroke to experts for additional counseling and care.
Officials say the program has reduced the risk of heart disease, stroke and other chronic diseases in more than 84,000 women. Nebraska's WISEWOMAN program has screened more than 19,000 women since its inception. Officials have reported a 5.4 percent reduction in 10-year estimated chronic heart disease risk and a 7.5 percent reduction in five-year estimated cardiovascular disease risk.
“WISEWOMAN shows us just how important and successful prevention programs can be,” said Sebelius. “We need to build on the success of this program and ensure health reform makes prevention and wellness a fundamental part of our healthcare system.”