Black women are more likely to experience common risk factors for heart disease due to social determinants of health, as well as genetic and environmental factors. These risk factors include:
Diabetes
Family history of heart disease
High blood pressure
Obesity
Stress
Black women face more barriers in pursuing good health due to longstanding racism and socioeconomic barriers. For example, Black people are more likely to live in neighborhoods without easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables. They’re less likely to afford the higher cost of healthy meals. Doctors can identify signs of worsening health early and help people change their lifestyles, access medications, or both. But Black women face greater financial and time barriers in accessing preventative health care. They’re 27% less likely than white women to receive cholesterol-lowering drugs, despite their higher risk. Chronic stress can raise blood pressure and greatly increase the risk of heart disease. Black women are more likely to have childhood stress, as well as stress later in life.