Oral

Several socio-cultural factors influence body image, care-seeking and diagnosis of women’s health issues in America. Minority women in America, Hispanics and African Americans in particular, face several health problems due to disparities in health care. Weight management and body image challenges exist among many racial and ethnic groups due to the culturally accepted fit and thin, ‘Caucasian,’ body type. Embracing the curvier Latina body image is especially a concern in this population due to evidence that Latina women are the least likely to remain physically active throughout adulthood. This decrease in physical activity among female minorities leads to an increase of diabetes incidence and more complications among these populations. Despite this increased prevalence, diabetes clinical trials have failed to adequately include minority populations. Cultural limitations also influence diagnosis, care and control of infectious diseases, including Tuberculosis (TB). Fear associated with contracting the illness leads to many women receiving less than optimal medical attention and feeling frustrated by the psychological side effects of dealing with their illness alone. African American women face disparities in morbidity and mortality of every major illness. This session will also present and disseminate the results of the Black Women’s Health Study, a study of the health, behaviors, barriers and factors associated with healthcare, among this underserved minority population.

Session Objectives: 1. Explain psychosocial and cultural factors that influence body image among Latinas. 2. Understand the need for ethnically tailored health messages for promotion of physical activity among minority women. 3. Understand the stigma of TB, as well as potential strategies to assist with TB control. 4. Describe the findings and implications of the Black Women’s Study. 5. Understand the importance of including minority women in clinical drug trials.

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing