O15 Health Habits of African American Women and the Impact of Racial Identity

Abstract

Background Social position, discrimination based on group identity, and stress are major contributors to an individual's social determinant of health. Managing health outcomes for African American women becomes far more than simply providing education and access; it hinges on understanding the construct of race and the implications of race-based stress (Hill-Collins, 2005; Sanders-Phillips, Settles-Reaves, Walker & Brownlow, 2009; Shavers, 2006). Objective To investigate the impact of racial identity and resilience on the health habits of African American women. Study Design, Settings, Participants A cross-sectional design using a non-probability sample was used to study the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption, racial identity, and resilience. Participants were recruited using social media focusing on platforms for Black/African American women. Cis-gendered African American who were 18 years of age or older were studied. Measurable Outcome/Analysis In this study, the Multidimensional Model of Black Identity, the Resilience Scale for Adults, and a modified NHANES survey was use to collect data to examine the relationships between resilience, Black identity, and health habits. Results Survey results were analyzed using SPSS v.11 for Windows. Simple linear regression used to examine the relationship between resilience, Black identity, and health habits. Public regard was positively association with fruit intake and vigorous physical activity. Additionally, centrality was associated with vigorous physical activity and minority identity was associated with fruit intake (P Conclusion Positive racial regard and social competence had beneficial impacts on fruit consumption, while a high association with the minority identity had an inverse relationship with fruit consumption. Public regard and racial centrality was positively associated with vigorous physical activity. Significant changes in morbidity and in health behavior are associated with acculturation for all ethnic minority groups in Anglo-majority host cultures such as the United States. Consequently, acculturation is an important variable in health psychology and behavioral medicine, which requires examination. Funding None.