Evaluating a Preventive Heart Health Program for Women at Midlife: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular health
• Behavioral science
• Women's health

Background:

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death in women, with risks exacerbated by hormonal changes during menopause.
• Behavioral change strategies and health promotion are crucial for reducing CVD mortality and morbidity in women.
• Healthcare providers play a key role in managing CVD risk factors in women.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and assess barriers and facilitators to implementing preventive heart health care for women in Singapore.
• To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of behavioral change strategies for increasing heart-healthy habits in midlife women.
• To understand the contextual challenges and effectiveness of personalized health coaching for CVD prevention in women.

Main Methods:

• A prospective mixed-methods pilot study using an A-B-A reversal design with 100 women aged 45–65.
• Incorporates quantitative (surveys) and qualitative (interviews with patients and providers) data collection over three phases.
• Utilizes interrupted time series analysis for intervention impact and inductive thematic synthesis for qualitative data.

Main Results:

• Data collection is ongoing, with projected completion in April 2026 and results expected in autumn 2026.
• A total of 60 participants were enrolled as of December 2025.
• Analysis of the impact of behavioral change strategies on heart-healthy habits is pending.

Conclusions:

• Personalized health coaching offers experiential knowledge to identify implementation challenges and effectiveness in Singapore.
• Findings can refine sex-specific CVD prevention frameworks and inform scalable service delivery.
• The study aims to improve future preventive care strategies for midlife women's cardiovascular health.