Prevalent health concerns among African American women belonging to a national volunteer service organization (the links, incorporated)

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Gladys B. Asiedu, Mayo Clinic; Sharonne N. Hayes, Mayo Clinic; Karen Patricia Williams, Michigan State University; Matthew R. Bondaryk, Mayo Clinic; Michele Y. Halyard, Links Foundation Inc; Monica Lauren Willis-Parker, Emory University; Joyce E. Balls-Berry, Mayo Clinic; Vivian W. Pinn, Links Foundation Inc; Carmen Radecki Breitkopf, Mayo Clinic
• Language: English
• Date: 2015-12-22
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2015, Springer Nature
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40615-015-0195-7
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
• ISSN: 2197-3792
• Volume: 4
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: 19
• End Page: 24
• Grant/Funding Information: The research presented in this paper is that of the authors and does not reflect the official policy of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).; Financial support for this research was provided by the Mayo Clinic Office of Health Disparities Research (OHDR) and by the NIH (R21 CA191028) awarded to Drs. Radecki Breitkopf and Williams (MPIs) (IRB #12-003252).
• Keywords: African American; Health priorities; Cardiovascular diseases; Women; Cancer; Health disparities
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Public Health; Health Sciences, General

Abstract

Objective African American women bear a disproportionate burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer. The purpose of this study was to identify prevalent health concerns among African American women who are members of The Links, Incorporated (Links), a large national service organization with health programming for communities of color. Methods Survey data (n = 391) were collected during the 2012 Links National Assembly. Twenty-six health issues were presented within five groups: cancer, CVD, pulmonary disease, chronic conditions, and behavioral health. For each issue, women indicated if it was a concern for “you/your family” or “the African American community” via checkboxes. Differences in the proportions for “you/your family” and “the African American community” were evaluated using the McNemar test. Results Hypertension was the most frequently endorsed concern for you/your family (79 %); 73 % indicated this was a concern for the African American community. Sickle cell anemia was the most frequently endorsed concern for the African American community (77%).Melanoma was the least endorsed health issue overall (15 % you/your family, 55 % community). Breast was the most frequently endorsed cancer concern, while lung was among the least. For 23 out of 26 health issues, the proportion concerned was greater for the “African American community” than for “you/your family” (all p < 0.05). Conclusion CVD and breast cancer were salient concerns; both are topics for which national awareness campaigns and Links health programming exist. Comparatively lower concern was observed for melanoma, a cancer with known survival disparities, and for lung cancer, a leading cause of death in women.