People with HIV have a higher incidence and mortality from screenable cancers than the general population. Among women, the 4 most common cancers are breast, colorectal, lung, and cervical cancers. This study examined breast, colorectal, lung, and cervical cancer screening rates among Black women with HIV and disparities that exist by immigration status. With a sample of 604 women, we examined cancer screening rates for breast, colorectal, lung, and cervical cancers and examined the rates by country of origin. Generalized linear mixed models were used to examine potential factors affecting these rates and the odds of screening by country of origin: US-born women (USBW) and non-US-born women (NUSBW). Cancer screening rates were low for all cancer categories for both groups. A screening rate of 48.7% was estimated for breast cancer (NUSBW-35.9% versus USBW-50.4%), 6.3% for lung cancer, 25.5% for colorectal cancer, and 72.8% for cervical cancer. NUSBW had lower screening rates for all 4 cancers compared with USBW. Possible predictors for cancer screenings were years of living with HIV [odds ratios (OR) 1.11; 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.14] and no viral suppression (OR 0.34; 95% CI: 0.15 to 0.76). Black women with HIV and much more immigrant subgroups may face additional barriers to accessing required cancer screening services in addition to being disproportionately affected by HIV. This emphasizes the urgent need for tailored, culturally relevant outreach and education to enhance cancer screening.

The impact of the strong black woman stereotype on young Black women's breast cancer perceptions

“Angry, Mad, Sick and Tired” Black Women in the Academy: A reflective dialogue about anti-Black sexism in the academic industrial complex

Objectives. To describe rates and characteristics of homicides of women across racial/ethnic groups, and describe intimate partner violence (IPV)-related and non-IPV-related homicide circumstances across racial/ethnic groups. Methods. We used National Vital Statistics System data to calculate homicide rates by racial/ethnic group of US women (aged ≥ 18 years) who were homicide victims from 2018 to 2022. We used National Violent Death Reporting System data to characterize the circumstances and suspects in these homicides by racial/ethnic group and IPV involvement. Results. The age-adjusted homicide rate was 3.2 per 100 000 women. Rates for non-Hispanic Black women and non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native women were more than twice as high as those for other races/ethnicities. Most women were killed by a firearm (67.9%), fatally injured in a residence (64.8%), or killed by a male (92.5%). About half (47.3%) of homicides were IPV related. Non-IPV-related homicides were often perpetrated by family members (39.0%). Circumstances differed by racial/ethnic group. Conclusions. Homicide disproportionally affects certain racial/ethnic groups of women, and the characteristics of homicides differ across groups. Thorough examination of these differences could aid in effective, targeted homicide prevention. (Am J Public Health. 2026;116(6):829-840. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308461).

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of pregnancy-related death in the United States and disproportionately affects Black women. In this review, we address the major contributors to cardiovascular-related maternal deaths, focusing on the importance of both prepregnancy and postpartum care. Risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and obesity contribute to cardiovascular risk during and after pregnancy. As prepregnancy optimization of these factors has been shown to mitigate this risk, we discuss evidence-based approaches to cardiovascular risk management in reproductive-aged women. Women with pre-existing CVD should undergo prepregnancy counseling and risk assessment using validated tools such as the modified World Health Organization 2.0 classification. We review common presenting symptoms of CVD in pregnancy, such as shortness of breath, and we discuss how tools such N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide testing can help distinguish dyspnea of pregnancy from symptoms of heart failure. We also review the evidence-based management of the leading causes of cardiovascular-related maternal deaths, including cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Importantly, the implementation of standardized care, such as perinatal CVD risk assessment algorithms, and postpartum remote monitoring programs may improve disparities in cardiovascular risk assessment and diagnosis.

The long arm of childhood policy: Historical schooling laws and COVID-19 pandemic-era mortality.

HIV disproportionately affects cisgender Black women (CBW), yet fewer than 2% of eligible CBW use pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP); an effective biomedical HIV prevention method. To improve PrEP uptake, this study identified CBW's preferences for key features of PrEP delivery programs using a discrete choice experiment (DCE). CBW were recruited, screened online, and completed a one-time DCE survey. Participants completed 14 choice tasks involving 6 PrEP program attributes: 1) administration method, 2) access location, 3) healthcare integration, 4) provider demographics, 5) payment options, 6) support services. Hierarchical Bayes models estimated attribute importance; latent class analysis was used to group participants by similar preferences. Among 390 participants, administration method was the top-ranked attribute (48%), followed by provider demographics (13.2%), and access location (12%). Preferences clustered into five groups. Group 1 (n=82), younger women with high educational attainment, preferred telehealth initiated bi-monthly injectable PrEP. Group 2 (n=82), older women with lower HIV vulnerability, favored oral and injectable PrEP prescribed by a physician during women's health visits. Group 3 (n=108) had the highest HIV vulnerability, showed strong interest in PrEP, preferred the vaginal ring accessed through pharmacies or telehealth. Group 4 (n=59) had the lowest access to healthcare, preferred injectable PrEP in clinical settings with income-based cost adjustments. Group 5 (n=59), one of the youngest and economically advantaged, favored the vaginal ring from a pharmacy. Findings indicate administration method, provider type, and access location mattered most to CBW for PrEP programming, indicating the need to use multiprong approaches to bolster PrEP uptake.

Gestational diabetes (GDM) and hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (HDP) disproportionallyaffect the health of Black women during pregnancy and after birth. These conditions have mostly been examined separately and have largely focused on individual-level risk factors. We used an adapted socioecological model (SEM) to explore risk and protective factors for GDM and HDP among Black women beyond the individual level of influence. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL Complete and Scopus databases for articles published through November 2023. Studies were included if they had samples of ≥ 50% Black women or stratified data by race and included measures of effect of interpersonal, community/environmental, or societal factors. We used PRISMA 2020 reporting guidelines and narratively synthesized the results by level of the SEM. We used QualSyst to assess the quality of included studies. Nineteen studies met all our inclusion criteria; 10 examined societal factors making it the most examined socioecological level, six examined community/environmental factors, and three examined interpersonal level factors. Only three studies included outcomes of both GDM and HDP. Intimate partner violence was the only significant risk factor for both GDM and HDP. Although several risk factors were explored, protective factors have not been examined to the same extent and warrant further investigation. Findings from this review can be used to inform more comprehensive assessment tools for identifying patients at increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Limitations of our review include the inability to determine causality due to study designs and the inability to conduct a meta-analysis due to heterogeneity of findings.

Risk of Infertility Among Women with Sickle Cell Disease.

ABSTRACT Black sororities and fraternities provide critical support networks, leadership development, and community engagement within Black communities. Historically, these organizations advanced civil rights and Black feminist movements, shaped sociopolitical discourse, and cultivated spaces for collective activism and resistance. Despite these contributions, Black Greek-letter organizations remain vulnerable to perceptions of exclusivity, while limited scholarship centers Black women sorority members’ lived experiences. Guided by Black Feminist frameworks, this study examines Black sorority life as a form of cultural wealth within and beyond higher education. Through the perspectives of six Black sorority members, we examine cultural and generational orientations to sorority membership and its influence on enrollment, leadership, and well-being. Constructed through Sisterwork, this paper positions Black sorority life as an enduring source of cultural wealth that resists oppression and intersectional marginalization. Findings underscore Black women sorority members’ contributions to kinship, legacy, social change, community engagement, and Black futures.

ABSTRACT Background Awareness that heart disease is the leading cause of death declined from 65% in 2009 to 44% in 2019 among women over the age of 25. It is unclear whether this decline has disproportionately affected Black women who have a higher risk of heart disease than White women. Purpose This study examined the possible race and sex differences among young adults regarding their awareness of heart disease as the leading cause of death, their concern about developing heart disease, and their motivation to improve their heart health and reduce their heart disease risk. Methods A cross-sectional survey was distributed to 404 young adults who were Black or White and aged 20 to 39. Results Racial disparities were not reflected in awareness or motivation to improve heart health or reduce disease risk. However, Black respondents reported lower levels of concern about developing heart disease compared to White respondents. Discussion A lack of concern may contribute to worse heart health among young Black women. This is alarming given that this population is disproportionately affected by heart disease. Translation to Health Education Practice Health educators need to tailor messaging and advocacy strategies to raise Black women’s awareness of their heart disease risk.

Age, sex and ethnicity changes in creatine kinase and sex- and ethnicity-specific reference intervals of creatine kinase.

Menopausal Black women in U.S. prisons face a convergence of three accelerating crises: bodies made biologically older by structural racism and incarceration exposure, a menopausal transition that arrives earlier and manifests more severely for Black women than for any other group, and thermally hostile carceral infrastructure designed without their safety in mind. Estrogen decline disrupts thermoregulation-producing hot flashes, cardiovascular strain, and syncope risk-that becomes life-threatening when ambient temperatures reach 112°F-118°F and access to cooling, hydration, and hormone therapy is blocked. Drawing on a narrative synthesis of peer-reviewed literature, legal precedent, and policy documentation, I document how heat-related deaths are obscured through diagnostic miscoding, how formulary exclusions and copay requirements function as de facto bans on evidence-based care, and how symptom misclassification delivers women into solitary confinement as punishment for physiological events. Under the Estelle v. Gamble (1976) deliberate indifference standard, these patterns constitute cruel and unusual punishment. Drawing on the 2025 Tiede v. Collier ruling, I present a four-tier best practices toolkit-compassionate release, zero-copay hormone replacement therapy, thermometer protocols, and federal mandates-sequenced within a longer arc of structural decarceration. Thermal abandonment is deliberate indifference. It is also reversible.

Despite advancements in the treatment of HIV, Black women living with HIV (BWLWH) experience significant disparities in brain health and related factors, which may be linked to microaggressions, systemic inequities, and discrimination. Factors such as functional activity, brain health, sleep, and diet also play a role in the overall health of an individual. This study examines how experiences of microaggressions are associated with brain health-related factors among BWLWH. Utilizing cross-sectional data from 183 BWLWH, this study employed linear regressions to assess relationships between psychosocial stressors (microaggressions, discrimination) and brain health-related measures including the Functional Activities Questionnaire, The Healthy Brain 9, and Sleep Evaluation (night-time, treatments, and behaviors). Findings indicate that a higher frequency of HIV-related microaggressions (total direct and indirect) and gendered racial microaggressions were associated with cognitive function difficulties and sleep disturbances. Women who reported higher experiences of race-, gender-, and HIV-based discrimination also had cognitive function difficulties and sleep disturbances, but only race- and gender-related discrimination were related to lower global health ratings. This study highlights the role microaggressions and discrimination may play in brain health and related factors among BWLWH. Addressing these disparities requires targeted interventions that promote health equity, increase access to culturally competent care, and integrate community-based resilience strategies to support cognitive well-being.

Interpersonal invisibility is a consequential form of stigmatization but is not well-understood. Existing work has largely focused on who feels invisible (between-person effects) rather than when people feel invisible (within-person effects). Five studies (N = 3,575) examine when people feel invisible. In Studies 1 and 2, Black, East Asian, and White American men and women report how invisible they feel to men and women motivated to protect themselves or to seek a romantic partner. Studies 3, 4, and 5 additionally explore invisibility to same- and other-race people. Results show that invisibility is dynamic: Participants report that they are invisible to some people and not to others, depending on the combination of their own race and gender with the race, gender, and goals of the other person. These findings speak to theories of invisibility and constitute a critical development in our understanding of when and why people feel invisible to others.

ABSTRACT In this article, the authors analyze the ways Black women are represented in elementary social studies texts in the United States. Using the controlling images of Black Feminist Thought as the theoretical framework for this content analysis, we reveal that U.S. elementary social studies texts place a heavier emphasis on enslaved Black women than Black women who were born free, ascribe humanity to enslaved Black men that they do not ascribe to enslaved Black women, and silence Black women by rarely allowing readers to engage directly with the words of Black women historical figures or excluding Black women historical figures altogether. This study has implications for future research.

Malignant Brenner tumor (MBT) is a rare ovarian neoplasm with unpredictable behavior, posing significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Current management advocates for risk-adapted strategies, though long-term outcome data supporting this approach are scarce. A 54‑year‑old postmenopausal Black African woman presented for cervical cancer screening, during which a right ovarian mass was incidentally found. Subsequent surgical staging and histopathology confirmed a FIGO stage IC2 malignant Brenner tumor with an elevated Ki-67 index. A multidisciplinary team implemented a risk-adapted strategy comprising radical surgery followed by platinum-based chemotherapy. Treatment was well-tolerated, with only grade 1 peripheral neuropathy reported. At the eight-year follow-up, the patient remains in complete remission, with normal imaging and tumor markers. This case illustrates the potential efficacy of risk-adapted management in early-stage malignant Brenner tumor, supporting contemporary paradigms that prioritize individualized risk assessment. The exceptional long-term outcome adds to the evidence for selective treatment modulation in appropriately stratified patients.

Consistent overconsumption of high-sugar food and beverages (HSFB)-defined as consuming more than 25g of added sugars per day [1]-is a health risk factor for Black young adult women in the United States. A diet high in added sugar can increase women's likelihood of developing chronic conditions, like obesity, for which they are already at a high risk. Research often focuses on individual-level contributors to this eating behavior; however, studies infrequently consider how structural barriers may affect individuals' eating habits. The current study examines whether experiencing more structural barriers to accessing perceived healthy food is associated with amount of consumption of HSFB and if this association is mediated by one individual-level factor - internal health locus of control. Data come from 504 Black young adult women (Mage= 24.7, 98.4% cisgender) who completed questionnaires via an online survey. Experiencing more structural barriers to accessing perceived healthy food was associated with more consumption of HSFBs (β = 0.05, p = .013, 95% CI = 0.01, 0.09). Specifically, the availability of fast food near where women lived, difficulties accessing transportation to purchase healthy foods, and the cost of food or grocery delivery are associated with more HSFB consumption. Internal health locus of control did not mediate the association between barriers and consumption (95% CI = -0.01, 0.02). More research is needed to assess the mechanisms linking structural barriers and HSFB consumption. Addressing contextual factors, like structural barriers, may be a critical step to equitably improve eating behaviors for Black young adult women.

This research paper explores the concept of “motherless mothering” among Black women, highlighting the unique challenges faced by those who have lost their mothers prior to becoming mothers themselves. Notably, nearly 40% of Black children experience the death of a parent by age 20, with maternal loss representing a significant portion of these cases. Grounded in the understanding that parental death disproportionately affects Black individuals, this study explores the emotional, psychological, and social consequences faced by Black women navigating the transition to motherhood without a maternal figure. Qualitative data were collected through a questionnaire, resulting in three key findings: participants’ experiences with feelings of abandonment, entrapped grief, and discussing the lack of supportive services for motherless mothers. To address these issues, this paper introduces the Parent-Parental Loss (PPL) framework, a new model developed by the study’s first author to elucidate and support the unique experiences of motherless mothers. By investigating the intersections of grief, motherhood, and communal structures, and applying the PPL framework, this study seeks to advance understanding of Black women’s lived experiences as motherless mothers.

Providing an Optimized and emPowered Pregnancy for You (P3OPPY) Acceptability and Feasibility Pilot Trial.