The BWHS is the largest follow-up study of the health of African-American women yet conducted. The purpose is to identify and evaluate causes and preventives of cancers and other serious illnesses in African-American women. Among the diseases being studied are breast cancer, colon cancer, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, uterine fibroids, systemic lupus erythematosus, and rheumatoid arthritis. The study began in 1995, when 59,000 black women from all parts of the United States enrolled through postal questionnaires. The women provided demographic and health data on the 1995 baseline questionnaire, including information on weight, height, smoking, drinking, contraceptive use, use of other selected medications, illnesses, reproductive history, physical activity, diet, use of health care, and other factors. The participants are followed through biennial questionnaires to determine the occurrence of cancers and other illnesses and to update information on risk factors. Completion of follow-up questionnaires by members of the 1995 cohort has exceeded 80% in each cycle of follow-up. Information on outcomes is validated through medical record review. Validation studies of diet, anthropometric measures, and physical activity have been completed. In a genetic component, saliva samples are being obtained from participants; DNA from the samples will serve as a resource for testing hypotheses about gene-environment interactions.

Special Studies:

• Air pollution and risk of incident hypertension and diabetes in US black women
• Bilateral oophorectomy, hysterectomy, and cancer risk
• Breast cancer risk prediction models among African-American women
• Endometriosis in the Black Women's Health Study
• Epidemiology of breast cancer subtypes in African-American women
• Gene polymorphisms in relation to cancer in black women
• Genetic admixture study of uterine fibroids
• Genetic variants and gene-environment interactions in relation to breast cancer incidence in African-American women
• Interaction between low birthweight and obesity-associated polymorphisms in relation to adult BMI in US black women
• Psychosocial factors and risk of incident asthma
• Psychosocial factors and risk of uterine fibroids in black women
• Sarcoidosis in the Black Women's Health Study
• Weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and factors that affect neuroendocrine function
• The Why Obesity Study

Investigators:

Lynn Rosenberg, Sc.D., Principal Investigator
Slone Epidemiology Center

Julie R. Palmer, Sc.D., Co-Principal Investigator
Slone Epidemiology Center

Lucile L. Adams-Campbell, Ph.D., Co-Principal Investigator
Georgetown University Medical Center

Lauren Wise, Sc.D.
Slone Epidemiology Center

Yvette Cozier, D.Sc.
Slone Epidemiology Center

Edward Ruiz-Narvaez, Sc.D.
Slone Epidemiology Center

Patricia F. Coogan, D.Sc.
Slone Epidemiology Center

Study Staff:

Delia Russell, M.P.H. , Project Coordinator
Carolyn Conte, M.P.H., Research Coordinator
Dianne Dunn, Research Coordinator
Patricia Simmons, M.S., Interviewing Supervisor
Traci Bethea, D.Sc., Postdoctoral Associate
Deborah Boggs, Sc.D., Postdoctoral Associate
Helen Bond
Sharon Cornelius, M.S.
Cassaundra Edwards
Juanita Hope
Kristen Javorski
Peilan Lee
Se Li, M.D.
Hannah Lord
Lynn Murray
Meghan O’Connor, M.S.
Maria Petzold
Zainab Shuaib, M.D., M.P.H.
Jackie Smith, R.N., M.P.H.
Oleg Starobinets
Jeffrey Yu, M.P.H.

Source of Funding:

National Cancer Institute

Study Period:

1994 to present

Publications:

Link to Publications

Contact Information:

Black Women's Health Study
1010 Commonwealth Ave.
Boston, MA 02215
1 (800) 786-0814

Email Delia Russell at drussell@bu.edu