Section C
How to Conduct the
Information Session

Women and Heart Health
Information Session
Outline

Steps For the Facilitator

Introduction/Objectives

Introduce yourself to the audience and explain the objectives of this information session. Overheads provided may be used.

The objectives of this session is to increase awareness of heart health in women by:

Increasing awareness of the risk for heart disease and stroke in women.
Discussing healthy and unhealthy choices.
Learning about ways to reduce risk.

Include the following statements in your introduction:

Heart disease and stroke are the number one causes of death in women.
Four out of every ten women will die from heart disease and stroke.
In 1992 seven hundred and fifty-three women in Newfoundland and Labrador died from heart disease or stroke.

Icebreaker/Quiz

Ask everyone in your group to stand up and then follow the directions given for the Icebreaker (see Appendix). This should only take a few minutes. The purpose is to show the large number of women who are affected by heart disease and stroke.

Following the icebreaker exercise hand out the Women's Heart Disease and Stroke Quiz (see Appendix) and give the group a couple of minutes to complete it. You can give them the answers (see Appendix) at the end of the information session.

Explanations

What is heart disease? What is a stroke?
Explain these terms. Refer to Explanations in the Appendix. You may wish to use the overheads provided.

Highlights From The Newfoundland Heart Health Survey

This information can be read aloud to the group and the overheads provided can be used.

Issues in Diagnosis and Treatment

Information on this topic is provided in some detail in the Appendix. These simple statements can be read aloud or the overheads provided can be used.

Video

Women, Heart Disease and Stroke is a 10 minute video which provides information on statistics, issues and signs and symptoms related to women and heart disease and stroke. It was produced by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario. Overheads are also provided on signs and symptoms of heart disease in women.

Small Group Discussion

Read and follow the directions under this title in the Appendix . The purpose of this group discussion is to give women an opportunity to take time to consider aspects of their lives which are healthy and unhealthy for their hearts.

Large Group Discussion

Using flipchart and markers or the overhead provided entitled Heart Healthy Heart Unhealthy Choices, ask the women to give examples from their individual groups of things they do and choices they make in their everyday lives. Write them in the appropriate column as healthy or unhealthy.

Share the information on Risk Factors for Heart Disease and Stroke provided in the Appendix. Overheads provided may also be used. Compare these risks with the examples of Heart Healthy / Heart Unhealthy Choices just created above. Circle those examples which are risk factors. Ask the participants to help you decide which examples should be circled.

Have the group discuss how to reduce their risk. Refer to the list How to Reduce Your Risk (see Appendix). The overheads provided may also be used.

Wrap up

What's next?

Follow directions given in the Appendix.

Have some pamphlets and handouts for participants to take home. The Risk Assessment Tool in the Appendix can be copied and given out. Pamphlets are available from Community Health Offices (see lists in the modules in the second component of this package).

Also refer to the NLHHP Catalogue of Resources included in this package. Make sure you order pamphlets in time to have handouts at the information session.

Evaluation

Remind participants to complete the Evaluation Form (see Appendix)