Heart disease is a major public health concern, yet the condition is largely preventable. The disease is the leading cause of death among women, yet few women perceive themselves at risk. To make conscious choices about prevention women need to know about heart disease, their susceptibility, and how to prevent it. The purpose of this study was to explore the knowledge, health beliefs, and behaviors of women regarding heart disease and its prevention. A semi-structured interview guide provided the framework for this study. Five women were interviewed and verbatim transcriptions were utilized for data analysis. Data were reduced using a research question-based coding scheme. Segments were bracketed according to the corresponding research question. Four major categories emerged: susceptibility, misperceptions, challenges, and gender issues. Results revealed that none of the respondents perceived themselves susceptible to heart disease, yet all agreed it was a serious condition. Several misperceptions emerged. When asked to describe the signs and symptoms of a heart attack in women, only the classic “chest pain” and symptoms in the arm were identified. Several challenges were identified by respondents including the following subcategories: barriers to participating in health-promoting activities, lack of knowledge and awareness, and gender concerns. Time was the primary factor influencing the respondents' participation in health-promoting activities, yet a majority of respondents revealed that if they were more aware of the disease and their susceptibility they would be more motivated to engage in healthy behaviors. Several gender issues emerged including the role of women as caregivers. This study points to the need for additional studies of women as a unique population. Few women considered heart disease a personal health threat. Perhaps if messages about heart disease were delivered in a manner more relevant to women, awareness campaigns would be more effective in increasing their perceived vulnerability to the disease. It is necessary to identify women's perception of their health and to identify factors that influence them differently as they make choices regarding their health. Lifestyle changes will not be a priority if women do not perceive themselves susceptible. Marketing strategies must be developed to adequately educate women about health risks. Health educators can play a key role in resolving common misperceptions women have about heart disease and in creating increased awareness of the disease. Current awareness campaigns have achieved greater recognition of the impact of heart disease, but a gap in awareness continues to exist.