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What is WISEWOMAN?

A WISEWOMAN Success Story

“Since joining the Ladies First program, I have a lot more energy and I feel better about myself," says Lana Hanson of Sherm, Vermont.  Lana joined Vermont's WISEWOMAN program, Ladies First, in 2006.

Through Ladies First, Lana has learned how to make healthy food choices. "I used to have really bad eating habits. I would skip breakfast; for lunch I would snack on cookies and potato chips; and for dinner I would eat a hamburger or hot dog, potatoes, and a vegetable and that was only one meal a day." She now grows her own vegetables, adds different kinds of fruits and vegetables to her meals, and eats three healthy meals a day.

As a result of eating healthier, Lana has lost 10 pounds. "I just changed my eating habits and it just happened. The weight loss was a big surprise." Lana has also increased her physical activity. "I do a lot of walking now, which I didn't do before."

She recommends the program to women. "Women should join the Ladies First program because it helps women to focus on their health."

(Reprinted with permission, Vermont Department of Health and Lana Hanson.)

What services does WISEWOMAN provide?

WISEWOMAN offers free or low-cost health screenings, such as

• Blood pressure testing
• Cholesterol testing
• Glucose (blood sugar) testing for pre-diabetes/diabetes

WISEWOMAN also provides services to help women improve their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels, such as

• Nutrition education
• Physical activity information
• Doctor referrals
• Stop-smoking programs

What makes WISEWOMAN special?

All WISEWOMAN programs screen for heart disease and stroke risk factors, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes.  WISEWOMAN programs also include other services, such as counseling or classes to show women what they can do to prevent disease and improve their overall health.

WISEWOMAN services teach women how to eat healthy, be more physically active, and quit smoking.  Eating nutritious foods and being physically active are two ways to help prevent heart disease.

Why should I join the WISEWOMAN program?

• Heart disease is a major health problem for women.
• Heart disease claims the lives of more women than cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, Alzheimer's disease, accidents, and diabetes combined.
• More women than men will die within one year after a heart attack.
• Heart disease and stroke are really big problems among minority women.
• More women than men die of stroke each year.
• WISEWOMAN offers services to prevent heart disease and other major health problems, including diabetes and weight gain.
   

Who can join the WISEWOMAN program?

If you can answer yes to all of the following questions, you may be able to join the WISEWOMAN program.

• Are you already participating in the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP)?
• Are you either uninsured or underinsured? (Uninsured, you do not have health insurance; Underinsured, you have health insurance, but not enough to cover your needs.)
• Are you eligible for Medicare, but are unable to pay the premium to enroll in Medicare Part B?

 

Alaska (AK) Southcentral Foundation 4320 Diplomacy Drive Anchorage, AK  99508 Southeast AK Regional Health Consortium 222 Tongrass Drive Sitka, AK  99835 (888) 388-8782	North Carolina (NC) NC Department of Health and Human Services 1922 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC  27699 (919) 707-5300
California (CA) CA Department of Health Services 1616 Capitol Avenue Sacramento, CA  95899 (800) 511-2300 (in CA)	Oregon (OR) Oregon Department of Human Services Public Health Division 800 NE Oregon St., Suite 850 Portland, OR  97232 (971) 673-1123
Connecticut (CT) CT Department of Public Health 410 Capitol Avenue Hartford, CT  06106 (860) 509-7804	Pennsylvania (PA) Pennsylvania Deptartment of Health Health and Welfare Building, Rm. 100 7th & Foster Streets Harrisburg, PA  17120 (717) 787-5900
Illinois (IL) IL Department of Public Health 535 W. Jefferson Avenue Springfield, IL  62761 (888) 522-1282 (in IL) (217) 524-6088	South Carolina (SC) South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control 2600 Bull Street Columbia, SC  29201 (803) 545-4103
Iowa (IA) IA Department of Public Health 321 E. 12th Street Des Moines, IA  50319 (866) 339-7909 (in IA) (515) 281-4909	South Dakota (SD) SD Department of Health 615 E. 4th Street Pierre, SD  57501 (800) 738-2301
Massachusetts (MA) MA Department of Public Health 250 Washington Street Boston, MA  02108 (617) 624-5441	Utah (UT) Utah Department of Health P.O. Box 142107 288 North 1460 West Salt Lake City, UT  84114 (801) 538-6233
Michigan (MI) MI Department of Community Health 109 W. Michigan Avenue Lansing, MI  48909 (517) 335-1178	Vermont (VT) VT Department of Health 101 Cherry Street Burlington, VT  05402 1–800–510–2280 or (802) 865–7756
Minnesota (MN) MN Department of Health 85 E. 7th Place St. Paul, MN  55164 (888) 643-2584	Virginia (VA) Virginia Deptartment of Health 109 Governor Street 8th Floor West Richmond, VA  23219 (804) 864-7759
Missouri (MO) MO Department of Health and Senior Services 930 Wildwood Drive Jefferson City, MO  65109 (573) 522-2845	West Virginia (WV) WV Department of Health and Human Resources 350 Capitol Street Charleston, WV  25301 (304) 558–7211
Nebraska (NE) NE Department of Health and Human Services 301 Centennial Mall South Lincoln, NE  68509 (800) 532-2227	Wisconsin (WI) Wisconsin Department of Health Services 1 West Wilson, P.O. Box 2659 Room 233 Madison, WI  53701 (608) 261-6872

How can I join the WISEWOMAN program?

First, enroll in a National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. Visit www.cdc.gov/cancer/NBCCEDP or call 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) to find the location nearest you.

Second, ask about joining the WISEWOMAN program. Keep in mind that WISEWOMAN is not available in all states.
 

Can I join WISEWOMAN if it is not available in my state?

Unfortunately, no.  However, as funding for the program increases, WISEWOMAN will continue to expand across the nation. In 2008, six additional programs were funded to provide WISEWOMAN services. Currently there are 21 funded programs.
 

CDC WISEWOMAN Program

Vision:  A world where any woman can access preventive health services and gain the wisdom to improve her health.

Mission:  Provide low-income, underinsured, or uninsured 40- to 64-year-old women with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities needed to improve diet, physical activity, and other life habits to prevent, delay, or control heart disease and other chronic conditions.

• Since 2000, WISEWOMAN has reached more than 80,000 women.
   
• WISEWOMAN has found thousands of new cases of high blood pressure and high cholesterol and more than 1,100 new cases of diabetes (sugar).
   
• WISEWOMAN also has helped reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol levels among women and has helped women quit smoking.
   

Contact Information

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
WISEWOMAN Program
Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
4770 Buford Highway, Mailstop K-47
Atlanta, GA  30341
1-800-CDC-INFO
http://www.cdc.gov/wisewoman/

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Page last reviewed: October 14, 2009
Page last modified: October 14, 2009

Content source: Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion