Tools for Understanding Atrial Fibrillation (Afib)
Together, let’s prevent strokes caused by afib in underserved communities.
Summary: An overview of the health equity initiative and introduction to afib and resource links.
StopAfib.org is a leading nonprofit patient advocacy organization. We serve and support people who live with atrial fibrillation (afib), the most common irregular heartbeat. Our mission is to get people diagnosed promptly and treated correctly to avoid strokes, heart failure, and dementia. We do this through education, community engagement and support, and advocacy. This tool helps community partners and clients better understand afib.
Because stroke deaths are continuing to increase in rural areas at a disproportionate rate, particularly for women, those who are 65+, and Blacks and Hispanics with afib, StopAfib.org has developed a pilot Health Equity Initiative targeting five rural counties in North Texas: Cooke, Fannin, Grayson, Montague, and Wise.
Our health equity initiatives will reduce health disparities by ensuring equitable healthcare access. We will do this by:
- Training non-clinician community health workers to increase awareness and advocate for individuals living with afib or at risk of it
- Increasing health literacy and access to care to prevent strokes for rural women, Blacks, Hispanics, and income-constrained seniors living with afib.
About Atrial Fibrillation (Afib)
Atrial fibrillation, the most common irregular heartbeat, increases stroke risk by 500 times. Common symptoms include:
- Palpitations (most common)
- Shortness of breath
- Lightheadedness
- Fatigue
- Brain fog (cloudy thinking)
- Chest pain
- Passing out (syncope)
- About 40% have no symptoms
Associated health conditions are:
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Diabetes
- Heart failure
- Ischemic heart disease
- Valvular heart disease
- Hyperthyroidism
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Obstructive sleep apnea
Learn more about afib from the resources below.
- Get Started Learning About Atrial Fibrillation Guide
- What is afib?—what it is, what causes it, how to know it’s afib, and how it progresses—symptoms and diagnosing it
- Why is afib a problem?—stroke, heart failure, and quality of life, including risks and symptoms
- Managing afib—treating afib with medication, lifestyle, and how to create an effective healthcare team
- Procedures for afib—treatments such as electrical cardioversion, catheter ablation, surgical procedures (maze and mini maze), hybrid ablation, and left atrial appendage occlusion.
- Resources—valuable resources such as the afib glossary, patient and caregiver resources, and videos
- StopAfib Forum—ask questions and discuss afib with others— see How to Create a New Account
Interested in Partnering?
Community partners increase our access to individuals who experience the most significant inequities in target counties. We are seeking collaborations with entities that:
- Have an interest in collaborating to address health disparities and increase impact
- Have employees or volunteers who connect clients to health care and social services
- Serve rural women, Blacks, Hispanics, and income-constrained seniors in Cooke, Fannin, Grayson, Montague, or Wise counties
Please complete the Health Equity Partner Interest Form if your organization aligns with the project goals and you want to discuss a partnership. Contact us here for any questions.