CDC WiseWoman Demonstration Program

WISEWOMAN consists of 21 CDC funded projects across the nation. Through these projects, the program provides screening and lifestyle interventions for low-income, under- or uninsured women between the ages of 40 and 64. The program provides women with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities to improve diet, physical activity, and other lifestyle behaviors to prevent, delay, and control cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. WISEWOMAN programs provide standard preventive services including blood pressure and cholesterol testing and testing for diabetes. Women can also take advantage of lifestyle programs that target poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and smoking, such as healthy cooking classes, fitness competitions, or quit-smoking classes. The interventions may vary from program to program, but all are designed to promote lasting, healthy lifestyle changes.

The goal of this program is to provide low-income, under- or uninsured women with the knowledge and skills to prevent and control heart disease and other chronic diseases.

Programs in more than 21 states have successfully intervened on smoking and other risk factors for the target population of women. Since 2000, the programs have reached more than 80,000 women, and identified thousands of new cases of high blood pressure and high cholesterol and more than 1,100 new cases of diabetes. WISEWOMAN has helped reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol levels among women and has helped women quit smoking.