Black Women's Health Imperative facts for kids

The Black Women's Health Imperative is an organization created to help improve the health of African American women. It was started in 1983 in Atlanta, Georgia, and was first called the National Black Women's Health Project (NBWHP).

The main founder was Byllye Avery. In the 1970s, she saw how laws and policies affected the health of women of color and women with low incomes. Avery wanted to create a safe space where women could learn about their health and feel in control of their own bodies.

Another important person in the group's founding was Lillie Allen, a health educator. She was concerned about the choices Black women had during childbirth. Both Avery and Allen wanted to focus on the specific health challenges that Black women faced.

History of the Organization

Byllye Avery and Lillie Allen first started their work as part of a larger group called the National Women's Health Network. However, they felt that the special health issues of Black women were not getting enough attention.

In 1983, they held a big meeting at Spelman College called the National Conference on Black Women's Health Issues. After this event, they decided to create their own separate organization. This new group, the National Black Women's Health Project, focused on two main things:

• Helping women in local communities through self-help groups.
• Working to change laws and policies to improve healthcare for Black women.

By 1987, the organization had its main office in Atlanta and other offices in New York and California. Later, they opened an office in Washington, DC to be closer to the lawmakers and government. Eventually, they moved their main headquarters there and changed their name to the Black Women's Health Imperative.

Health Challenges for Black Women

Studies have shown that African American women in the United States often face more health problems than women from other racial groups. This is known as a health disparity, which means there are unfair differences in health from one group to another.

For example, Black women have higher rates of conditions like obesity and diabetes. They are also more likely to die from serious illnesses like cardiovascular disease (heart disease) and certain types of cancer. These problems are often linked to difficult life experiences and stress.

What Causes These Health Differences?

There are many reasons for these health differences. Some are connected to a person's income, education, and where they live. Research shows that women with higher incomes and more education often have better health.

Racism also plays a big role. It can affect health in three main ways:

• Institutionalized racism: This is when rules and practices in society, like in the healthcare system, are unfair to certain racial groups.
• Personally mediated racism: This is when a person is treated unfairly by others because of their race.
• Internalized racism: This is when a person starts to believe negative ideas about their own racial group, which can cause stress and harm their health.

Because of these challenges, Black women may not always get the healthcare they need. For example, a pregnant Black woman is four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related problems than a white woman. Also, four out of every five Black women are considered overweight or obese.

What Are Their Goals?

The Black Women's Health Imperative has five main goals, which they call "Health Imperatives."

• To make the health of Black women a top priority for the government and communities.
• To get rid of the unfair health differences that Black women face.
• To make sure Black women can make their own private decisions about their bodies and having children.
• To lower the number of deaths among Black women from diseases that can be prevented.
• To help more Black women and their families get health insurance.

Making a Difference

The organization has created many programs to support the total health of women. One famous project was "Walking for Wellness," which featured the Olympic champion Wilma Rudolph. This program encouraged Black women to exercise to improve their health.

They also provide education on different health topics and have a website with helpful resources. The group published a book called Body and Soul: A Black Women's Guide to Health and Well-Being to give women useful health information.