Stress and stress reduction among African American women: a brief report

This brief report looks at the impact of discrimination, poverty and daily hassles on the stress and the subsequent health of African American women. Using this contextual framework, an Africentric, female-centered stress reduction program is presented to address the specific needs of this population. Thirty-three African American women between the ages of 22 and 63 participated in either an 8-h pilot of the proposed Africentric program or a 7-h standard stress reduction intervention. Descriptions of both interventions are presented. Implications for the use of stress reduction techniques in health promotion efforts among African American women are discussed.