Young Black women face disproportionate risks of stroke and cancer

New research indicates that diseases typically associated with older populations, such as stroke, cancer, and high blood pressure, are increasingly affecting younger adults, with Black women facing disproportionate risks.

A study published in the journal Neurology found that stroke rates among adults aged 20 to 54 nearly doubled between 1993-94 and 2020. In a study of first-time strokes in the Cincinnati and northern Kentucky region, approximately 36% of cases occurred in Black patients and nearly half were in women. Hypertension among these patients rose from 47% to 60% during the study period.

Black women face specific health disparities: breast cancer rates among women under 40 are higher for Black women than white women, and Black women under 50 die from the disease at twice the rate of white women their age. Additionally, Black women are twice as likely as white women to experience a stroke and 50% more likely to have high blood pressure. Research from Boston University suggests that Black women who develop high blood pressure before age 35 may face triple the risk of stroke by middle age.

Furthermore, a Washington University study suggests that recent generations may be aging faster biologically than previous generations at the same age, contributing to rising cancer rates in adults under 55.