African American women have persevered through slavery, racism and sexism, but presently their worst enemy may be themselves. According to statistics African American women are dying from preventable illnesses faster than any other group of women in the United States . Health professionals Dr. Marilyn Gaston and Dr. Gayle Porter authors of Prime Time: The African American Woman’s Complete Guide to Midlife Health and Wellness have creating Prime Time Sister Circles. The circles are 130 members strong and are dedicated to supporting health initiatives for women in various communities. Rolling out spoke to the doctors and asked them to address several health issues plaguing African American women, including mental health problems, stress and alternative medicine. –souleo
Often there is a stigma in minority communities associated with mental illness. How has your program worked to address that issue with your members?
Dr. Porter: We focus on how important it is to recognize the impact of the physical on the emotional and vice versa. We have stress management experts who are fitness and nutritional experts about importance of integrating all three of those variables. We find our women who go through the circles come out feeling very comfortable being able to talk about, handle and reduce stress. They also come out knowing the symptoms of stress and depression. People think a symptom is losing weight … but when black women become stressed we tend to gain weight.
Dr. Gaston: I believe that until insurance companies begin to fund mental health services equally [like] health services … we will never be as healthy as we can be.
In the women you’ve come across what have been some of the leading causes of stress?
Dr. Porter: The first reason is concern about their physical and their emotional health. The number two reason is that they are worried about their children and grandchildren. The third is financial …They are so busy buying and giving money and loaning money to adult children, that they don’t take care of their financial selves. … it goes back to their difficulty in being able to not feel guilty about taking care of their own physical, emotional and financial health.
Some people believe that alternative medicine may be a better approach for African American women when it comes to their health issues. What is your opinion?
Dr. Gaston: We have to be smart consumers and understand which drugs are safest. We know that hypnosis and acupuncture are very good and should be used in a connection with other approaches. All of that together gives more success. We also have a misperception that if it’s natural its safer or better, and [there are] no side effects and that’s not true.
For more information on Prime Time Sisters Circle, please visit: www.gastonandporter.org.
