- Spring 2005-

Go Red For Women Sheds Light on Heart Health

Motherly advice is a time-honored mother-daughter tradition. From men and money to careers and cooking, Mom can be a fountain of knowledge. But, do women listen to their mothers on matters of the heart on both health and romance?

In a surprising case of role reversal, according to a recent survey of more than 1,000 women by the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women movement, more mothers say they listen to their children's advice regarding visiting the doctor (28%) and health (27%) than daughters listen to mom. Yet, mom most values her daughter's advice on fashion (39%).

In general, women don't listen to Mom's advice. Fewer than two in 10 women indicated they listen to mom about going to the doctor (19%) and health in general (18%). This is about the same number that follow her advice on fashion (16%), romance (17%) or
exercise (14%).

However, both Hispanic and African-American daughters are more likely to value their mother's opinion in all areas of their life compared to Caucasian (28% of African-American women indicate they listen to their mother about visiting the doctor and 27% on health in general compared to 16% and 15% for Caucasian women). Hispanic women are most likely to value mom's opinion (29% of Hispanic women say they listen to mom on both health in general and about going to the doctor).

The American Heart Association's Go Red For Women movement wants daughters to give their mom advice that could save her life. Ask your mom to talk to her doctor about her heart disease risk and get appropriate screenings. On each Mother's Day, give your mom the gift of life-saving knowledge. Encourage her to join the Go Red For Women movement. She'll receive important information and a free red dress pin, the symbol of women and heart disease. For more information about the American Health Association's Go Red For Women movement, log onto www.goredforwomen.com.

In other Go Red For Women news, Toni Braxton recently joined the American Heart Association's fight against heart disease by becoming the official 2005 Go Red For Women celebrity spokeswoman. Braxton will assist in raising awareness of heart disease as the number one killer of women and educating women about their risk factors.