Family Health

Health Literacy: Know the facts.

Read about the health needs of your family members so that you can anticipate their needs. Share the information with them whenever possible so that they can participate in their healthcare.

Here are some important facts about your health:

• Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of American women.
• Heart disease is much more likely to kill a woman than any form of cancer.
• Female smokers are more likely to develop lung cancer than are male smokers.
• Lung cancer kills more women than any other cancer.
• Women are two to three times more likely to suffer from depression than are men.
• More than 80% of people affected by osteoporosis are women.
• Women are twice as likely as men to contract a sexually transmitted disease and ten times more likely to be infected with HIV during unprotected sex with an infected partner.
• Women represent three quarters of the people who suffer from autoimmune diseases, such as Multiple Sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

If you would like to test your health knowledge, click here.