Awareness of Cardiovascular Disease as the Primary Cause of Mortality in Women: Insights from a Survey of 7,920 Individuals

OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the main cause of mortality worldwide for both women and men. However, women are often overlooked as victims of CVD, leading to underdiagnosis and undertreatment. We aimed to assess public awareness of CVD as the leading cause of death in women. METHOD: This nationwide survey was conducted to evaluate awareness of CVD as the primary cause of female mortality. Individuals aged 18 to 80 years from across Türkiye were invited to complete a brief, structured questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 7,920 individuals were surveyed, of whom 59% were female. Only 34% of women and 38% of men correctly identified CVD as the leading cause of death in women (P = 0.0001). In contrast, malignant diseases-particularly breast cancer-were cited as the leading cause by 46% of women and 42% of men. Educational attainment was not associated with greater awareness. Among women, age was the only factor independently correlated with awareness, while in men both age and a history of coronary artery disease (CAD) were significantly associated with awareness. CONCLUSION: Public awareness of CVD as the leading cause of death in women remains alarmingly low in Türkiye. Neither higher education nor the presence of cardiovascular risk factors was associated with increased awareness. Age emerged as the primary correlate in women, and both age and CAD history in men. These findings suggest that awareness of female CVD mortality may be shaped more by personal experience than by formal education, highlighting a critical gap in national health literacy.