Women of color will constitute almost half of all American women by 2050, yet they suffer disproportionately from disease and mortality.   Compared to white women, women of color:

• have higher mortality rates for diseases and conditions such as diabetes, obesity, breast cancer, heart disease, and cerebrovascular diseases
• report experiencing poorer mental and physical health
• lack access to healthcare services and preventive screenings

Black women also have the lowest life expectancy of all ethnic and racial groups. Discrepancies among women of color and white women may stem from differences in socioeconomic status:   women of color are more likely to be poor and have lower levels of educational attainment.  

To address these issues, the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health and The Commonwealth Fund hosted the Margaret E. Mahoney Annual Symposium "Health Disparities Among Women of Color" on Tuesday, April 16, 2002, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.

Read the Health Disparities Overview