Health care behavior among urban black and white women

A cohort of 308 black and white women was followed 6 years to determine health status and preventive health behavior. The women of both races had nearly identical age and education levels. Health care utilization and health state perception was nearly identical, too. White women more frequently were dieters while black women walked for exercise and used prayer for problem solution. Women who exercised initially felt better at the end of the study. The persistence of health activities was stronger for white women but over half never exercised. More women need engagement in consistent preventive health activities