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Below is a selection of the latest research and updates related to Black women’s health. Just as important as these studies and reports are the lived experiences of Black women, which are valid evidence in and of themselves. These studies often confirm what we already know, because we are living and experiencing it.
At Miami conference, presentation connects racial disparities in treatment and care with Black women’s drastically higher rate of dying of breast cancer
At the 2024 Miami Breast Cancer Conference this month, radiation oncologist Dr. Reshma Jagsi presented on disparities in breast cancer treatment for Black women. Noting that Black women in the U.S. have a death rate from breast cancer that is 40% higher than that of white women, she detailed how these disparities might come from specific racial disparities in care and treatment, such as Black women’s likelihood of receiving less efficient and more toxic radiotherapy treatment regimens. “In order to respect human dignity, we cannot allow these disparities to persist,” Jagsi said.
New software to combat health inequities is being rolled out
A health equity software program called Truity has been designed to help combat bias, institutionalized racism, and the resulting inequities in patient care. It’s used in real time by physicians, helping to guide their decisions in patient care and treatment. Mayo Clinic and Morehouse School of Medicine are among the institutions beginning to use the platform.
New study: neighborhood racial composition and experiences of racial discrimination affect inflammation levels in pregnant Black women
A new study in the journal Brain, Behavior, & Immunity – Health found that certain factors – such as living in neighborhoods with a higher white population and having more lifetime experiences of racial discrimination – are connected to higher levels of systemic inflammation in pregnant Black women. The inflammatory marker studied is specifically associated with stress and has been previously linked to preterm birth, which is disproportionately higher for Black babies than those of any other racial or ethnic group.
Associated Press investigative project details the links between racism and health inequities affecting Black people in the U.S.
From Birth to Death, a multi-part investigative project by the Associated Press, explores how health inequities affecting Black people in the United States are rooted in the legacy of racism. The articles cover Black maternal mortality; asthma and Black children; the mental health impact of racism on Black children; high blood pressure and COVID; and the connection between racism and Alzheimer’s disease.
Changemaker for Black Women’s Health:
Dr. Helen Dickens
Over at PBS, “How One Black Doctor Brought the Pap to the People” is a beautiful and interesting profile of Dr. Helen Dickens, the first African American board-certified OB/GYN in Philadelphia, whose pioneering community outreach efforts improved medical access for Black women while honoring their dignity and humanity.
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