Role Management and Health Status in Generation X Professional Black Women: Exploring the Impact of Socio-Structural Factors Through Lived Experiences

Abstract

Prior research on the Social Determinants of Health---the non-medical factors that affect health outcomes and wellbeing---posits that improvements in socioeconomic status correspondingly improve health status. However, the positive link between socioeconomic status and health status may not be as strong for people of color, especially Black women. 

Drawing on conceptual insights from five theories on chronic stress and illness, this study seeks to broaden knowledge and understanding of how efforts to manage multiple---and often competing---roles, as manifestations of coping behaviors, have influenced the health status of 15 Generation X professional Black women. 

Eight themes derived from narrative interviews with women pursuing careers in business/finance, education, healthcare, and law strongly suggest that despite higher levels of education and income, the health status of Generation X professional Black women may be as threatened as the health status of Black women with lower levels of education and income. Recommended changes in practice patterns for payors/providers/employers, organizational policy enhancements, and personal choices for women are offered based on the findings. Given the limited generalizability of the results, future research should consider using mixed methods on a larger representative sample of Black women to gain additional insights into the relationship between levels of education, income, and health status.