A Review of the Intersectionality of Stress, Relationship Disharmony, and Self-care Among African American Women

Abstract

Stress can affect everyone in different ways, but some people and communities are more impacted than others, such as the African American community. Research studies have documented the effects of stress on African American women’s health outcomes. One of the primary indicators of stress is a person’s socioeconomic status. Other stress indicators examined in this review include educational attainment, employment, and social support. This review aims to examine how stress, relationship disharmony, socioeconomic status, educational attainment, employment, and social support can affect African American women’s self-care habits. We will briefly review each indicator and how these stressors affect African American women. This review emphasizes the importance of current self-care practices and their impact on health.