The impact of the strong black woman stereotype on young Black women's breast cancer perceptions

Abstract

There are significant disparities in health behaviours between young Black women and their peers, highlighting the impact of racial and gender stereotypes such as the Strong Black Woman (SBW). This stereotype, developed during slavery and continuously redefined through societal and cultural shifts, attributes characteristics to Black women such as emotional strength and selflessness to justify their widespread maltreatment. While earlier research has examined the influence of the SBW stereotype on the physical and mental health of Black women, relatively few studies have examined the ways this stereotype specifically influences Black women's understanding and management of their breast cancer-related health behaviors. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, this study explored young Black women's experiences with the SBW stereotype and its implications for health decisions. An analysis of in-depth interviews conducted with young Black women from Ontario, Canada identified several key themes: (1) The SBW stereotype minimizes sympathy and grace towards Black women and invalidates their concerns, which negatively impacts their health-related behaviour, (2) despite opposing the SBW stereotype, it still pushed them to be self-sacrificing and neglectful of their health, and (3) their multiple employment and educational responsibilities limited preventative health measures. We discuss how these results can inform culturally sensitive healthcare practices and policies, aiming to enhance the support provided to young Black women in managing their health effectively.