This important book not only highlights the high rates of morbidity and mortality among young black women in the US, but also provides a lens through which the reasons behind such health disparities can be understood.

The book outlines the main direct causes of illness and premature death among young black women, from physical illnesses such as heart disease, cancer and stroke, to psychological conditions such as depression. But throughout each chapter the reasons behind these issues are discussed, including exposure to racial discrimination, exposure to psychosocial stressors, poverty, lack of access to health care, unemployment, and lack of education. A concluding chapter asks what mechanisms can address the stark health inequalities faced by young black women in the US so that rates of morbidity and mortality can be reduced.

A timely and insightful account of an enduring issue within American society, this book will interest researchers and students across public health, race and gender studies and the sociology of health, as well as policy makers.