Prevalent Health Concerns Among African American Women Belonging to a National Volunteer Service Organization (The Links, Incorporated).
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.



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 check-boxes. Differences in the proportions for "you/your family" and "the African American community" were evaluated using the McNemar test.



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).



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.
Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Gladys B
GB
Asiedu
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Sharonne N
SN
Hayes
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.|The Links, Incorporated, Washington, DC, USA.
Karen Patricia
KP
Williams
Health Disparities, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA.
Matthew R
MR
Bondaryk
The Links, Incorporated, Washington, DC, USA.|Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA.
Michele Y
MY
Halyard
The Links, Incorporated, Washington, DC, USA.|Division of Geriatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Monica W
MW
Parker
Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.|Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Joyce E
JE
Balls-Berry
The Links, Incorporated, Washington, DC, USA.
Vivian W
VW
Pinn
Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA. radeckibreitkopf.carmen@mayo.edu.|Department of Health Sciences Research, Division of Health Care Policy & Research, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. radeckibreitkopf.carmen@mayo.edu.
Carmen Radecki
CR
Breitkopf
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009938:Organizations / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014838:Volunteers; D055815:Young Adult
African American; Cancer; Cardiovascular diseases; Health disparities; Health priorities; Women