Young black women: defining health

The purpose of this study was to elicit a definition of health as described by young Black women and to characterize the factors related to their definitions of health. The research questions were: (a) How do young Black women define health and (b) what factors are related to their definition of health? Using interviews and open-ended questions, an exploratory descriptive design examined the factors which contribute to the definition of health. Twenty-two young Black women between the ages of 21 and 40 comprised the sample. A wide range of incomes, occupations, educational levels, marital status, and family sizes were represented. The informants defined health as comprising those characteristics, behaviors, and/or activities which include: (a) having or avoiding a disease, (b) the presence or absence of obesity, (c) experiencing and reducing stress, (d) good and bad health habits, (e) eating good and bad foods, and (f) engaging (or not) in exercise.