All across the United States, people are banding together to create a healthier future. State by state, city by city, and street by street, visionary local leaders strive to solve the nation's most persistent health challenges. Each month, we’ll bring you an inside view of a different community-based health initiative — an honest look at the challenges communities face and the outstanding solutions they’ve found to address them. 

Melissa Eagan is the host of the Healthy Communities News podcast, a seasoned audio producer and storyteller, Melissa was a journalist in Rhode Island before joining public radio, where she executive produced talk shows like New York & Company. During her career she has won AP Best Interview and James Beard awards, as well as a Peabody. Now she swims and hikes when she can.

Presented by CVS Health.

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        &lt;p&gt;Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women. In fact, 1 in 5 deaths among women is due to a cardiovascular issue. But many people don’t fully appreciate the particular risks women face when it comes to heart health. In this episode, our host Melissa Eagan speaks with Dr. Joanne Armstrong, Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Women&#039;s Health and Genomics at CVS Health. Dr. Armstrong explains how heart disease looks different in women and how the reproductive journey can increase lifetime risk.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We also hear from Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Vice President and Chief Health Equity Officer at CVS Health. Dr. Khaldun discusses the need for the health care system to move from a one-size-fits-all approach to recognizing the unique needs not only of women but of particular groups of women. “A Black woman is actually more likely to have high blood pressure than a White woman,” she notes. Meanwhile, “Hispanic women are actually twice as likely to have diabetes, which we know contributes to heart disease.”&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;CVS Health is working to improve women’s heart health right in the community through screenings at local CVS MinuteClinics. Minoka McPherson, a family nurse practitioner and a Senior Practice Manager for MinuteClinic, talks to Melissa about the services that they provide. In addition, she discusses how mental health conditions like depression and chronic stress can also be risk factors for heart disease.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Learn more&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://cpr.heart.org/en/cpr-courses-and-kits/hands-only-cpr&quot;&gt;Learn about hands-only CPR training from the American Heart Association&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/?cid=ps_mc&amp;amp;gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxoe73oiT_QIVkkxyCh0PqAEBEAAYASAAEgIOZvD_BwE&amp;amp;gclsrc=aw.ds&quot;&gt;Schedule an appointment at a MinuteClinic&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;<br />
      

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