Black Women in Academia Face Health Outcome Disparities

May 5, 2022

Black women in the US are at higher risk for negative health oucomes than White women. Preliminary results from an ongoing study show that this trend extends to Black women in academia. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin found that Black women on the tenure track are more at-risk for negative mental health outcomes and physiological conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome.

According to Cate Reilly in The Badger Herald, “Not only are Black women less protected by higher socioeconomic status and education levels, but the process of getting to those higher levels in the first place is riskier for Black women. Black college students face higher levels of stress than white students because they have to navigate environments of racism and discrimination, which can result in negative mental and physical health outcomes.”