Last updated on January 12th, 2024 at 12:02 pm
More than 100 million US adults have high blood pressure, often called the “silent killer.” Half of those individuals affected do not know that they have it. Men and Women of all ages are affected, and it can cause serious heart problems. In women, the number one cause of death in the US is heart disease, and it is preventable. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease. Living in a rural location means farm women are experiencing health disparities when compared with the population as a whole. According to AgriSafe’s Knesha Rose-Davison, women who live in rural health areas have poorer health outcomes and have less access to care than urban women. Women in rural areas are also at a higher risk of death from ischemic heart disease than those in urban areas. Learning to recognize the risk factors of high blood pressure and heart disease and practice preventative measures to curb heart disease in farm women and men is vital in addressing this silent killer.