My heart health: a helpful guide to taking care of your heart
Promoting cardiovascular literacy in disadvantaged Galway communities
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The project partners were:
The Irish Heart Foundation
Galway City Council
About this project
Heart disease is one of the main causes of death in Ireland. Many heart problems can be prevented, but some people get health information that is not clear or easy to understand. People on lower incomes and members of the Traveller community are often more affected by heart disease.
The Heart Health for All project aimed to make heart health information clear and useful for people living in Galway. The Irish Heart Foundation worked closely with local communities in Westside, Ballinfoile, Castlegar and Salthill to design a new plain language resource called My Heart Health.
The project focused on listening to people’s experiences and responding to what they said they needed. Community workshops showed that cost is a major barrier to healthy living, especially when it comes to food and exercise. The resource was designed with these real-life challenges in mind.
More about this project
This project developed My Heart Health, a plain language heart health guide which explains:
what heart disease is,
the main risk factors, and
what people can do to protect their heart.
The guide also includes:
simple, low-cost tips for eating well on a budget,
ideas for staying active through everyday activities such as walking, gardening and housework,
clear pictures to show portion sizes,
easy explanations of health checks like blood pressure and cholesterol, and
a short quiz to help people think about their habits and small changes they can make.
The aim is to help people feel confident about looking after their heart and knowing when to seek medical advice.
The project helped build strong relationships between the Irish Heart Foundation, Galway City Council and local communities. The My Heart Health guide is being shared through community networks to reach people who may benefit most from it. Short support videos are also being developed to make the information even more accessible.