After I heard the news story on CBC and then the glib interview with the
cardiologist on Metro Morning who blamed women for their own problems, I
called in saying something along the lines of:

"While the Heart and Stroke Foundation and Dr A. have their hearts in the
right places, they seem to have a blind spot when it comes to explaining the
causes of heart disease in women and the means of preventing it.
Cardiovascular disease is one of the main diseases that is not equally
distributed across the population.  Its incidence is strongly related to
socio-economic status suggesting that individuals within a society develop it
in relation to societal structures and functions.  If the Heart and Stroke
Foundation was really serious about preventing heart disease about women it
would begin to address some of the social issues that cause it rather than
attacking women for not eating right, or not exercising or smoking. If women
are stressed out it is because of lack of employment, lack of day care, and
lack of societal recognition of the needs of women.  After all, it is in
Canada that 66% of single mothers live in poverty.  This is not the case in
other Western nations, save the USA.  In these nations families and children
are seen as resources that need to be supported. The Heart and Stroke
Foundation would be wise to stop blaming the victims of societal injustice
for their problems and start moving on addressing these broader issues."

Dennis Raphael


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 All children belong to society.
 But obviously society will have to be changed
   in order to make it treat its children better.

       -Halldor Laxness  "The Atom Station"
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Dennis Raphael, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Associate Director,
Masters of Health Science Program in Health Promotion
Department of Public Health Sciences
Graduate Department of Community Health
University of Toronto
McMurrich Building, Room 101
Toronto, Ontario, CANADA M5S 1A8
voice:    (416) 978-7567
fax: (416) 978-2087
e-mail:   [log in to unmask]