Voices In Color

Black Babies In California Twice As Likely To Die

Black infants in California are still twice as likely to die as infants in any other racial group, a statistic that galvanized the California Department of Public Health to declare Feb. 17-23 "Black Infant Health Week."

In 2000, the federal government launched the Healthy People 2010 initiative, setting benchmarks for a number of health goals for the nation's population, including reducing infant mortality rates among all races to 4.5 deaths per 1,000 births by 2010.

While average infant mortality rates had been steadily falling up to that point _ from 12.6 deaths per 1,000 births to 6.9 deaths per 1,000 births between 1980 and 2000 _ the gap between black and white mortality rates actually widened during those years, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Read more: The Mercury News

Black Women Are Embracing Natural Beauty

After decades of using straightening relaxers and texturizers, more black women are ditching the lye, embracing their hair's natural curl and bend, and wearing their hair in a variety of natural styles.



While going from processed to natural isn't a quick change, those who have are loving it for myriad reasons, from the way their natural hair feels to the way their hair makes them feel about themselves.


Read more: Orlando Sentinel

Today Is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Mark your calendars and make plans to participate in the National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD), recognized each year on February 7th. NBHAAD is a national mobilization effort designed to encourage African-Americans across the United States and Territorial areas to get educated, get tested, get treated, and get involved with HIV/AIDS, as it continues to devastate Black communities. This year’s theme is “Prevention is Power.”

Read more: HealthNewsDigest.com

Black Women and Depression

Superstar PR agent Terrie Williams first revealed her battle with depression in Essence more than two years ago. Now she’s releasing Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We’re Not Hurting, which delves even deeper into the souls of Black folks.

Read more: Essence.com

Black Women Find Freedom With New 'Do

You might look at Akilah Cobham's hair and see neatly flowing locks. But it's not just hair, it's a cultural movement.

Cobham, a 26-year-old high school Spanish teacher who lives in Roxbury, leapt into Sisterlocks, a hairstyle for black women looking for a sleeker alternative to traditional locks.

"It was like my hair was controlling me," Cobham said of her old hairstyle. She feared sweating out the straightness while working out, so she would plan gym time for right before her weekly visits to the hair salon.

"I wanted a hairstyle that I can look cute in and still live my life," she said. She found the answer in Sisterlocks.

Read more: The Boston Globe

Hair Products Raise Concern Among Black Women

Oils are essential for healthy hair, and African-American women may need more.

"African-American women need more oil in their hair because of the dryness that our natural texture has," said Candice Finnell, owner of Textures Salon in Indianapolis.

But an e-mail warning about the dangers of black hair products has raised concern. People e-mailed 6News Staying Healthy reporter Stacia Matthews, asking whether the warning was true.

Pittsburgh researchers are investigating a possible link between a list of products containing synthetic hormones and breast cancer. The e-mail warning talked about the research and urged people to spread the word about the possible connection.

"It's an urban legend that has some truth," said Dr. Raemy Birhiray, oncologist with Indianapolis' St. Vincent Hospital.

Birhiray said estrogen levels can increase a woman's risk of breast cancer. But he cautioned that there is no way of knowing how much hormone is in hair products.

Currently, the Food and Drug Administration does not require testing on cosmetics before they hit the market.

Read more: TheIndyChannel.com

Program Aims To Ease Shortage Of Black Nurses

Creating a diverse population of nurses — beyond the stereotype of a white woman in a white uniform — builds trust among minority patients, research shows.

But in Maryland, where just 19 percent of nurses are black, universities would have to graduate an additional 550 African-American students every year for a decade before the proportion of black nurses would even come close to reflecting the race of the patients they serve.

Health care professionals hope a new nursing program at historically black Morgan State University will help alleviate the state’s nursing shortage, particularly the dearth of black nurses.

Read more: The Examiner

Report: 691 New Medicines In Development For Black Population

A report out Monday shows 691 new medicines are in the country's development pipeline to help treat diseases that disproportionately affect blacks.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America issued the report in Mississippi because the state has the largest black population in the U.S.

Memphis' black population is one of the highest for an American city, with a black population of around 61 percent.

"There are complex reasons for the health disparity between African Americans and other Americans that are not fully understood," PhRMA president and CEO Billy Tauzin said in a statement. "These 691 medicines in development offer hope for closing the troubling health gap and increase the likelihood that every American can share in the benefits of medical progress."

The report cites 229 medicines for cancers that disproportionately affect blacks. For the treatment of cardiovascular disease 114 medicines are being designed. 95 medicines are in development for diabetes. 77 medicines are being studied for respiratory disorders, including asthma. 67 medicines are targeting HIV infection. Other medicines in development will address kidney disease, glaucoma, obesity and sickle cell disease.

Source: Memphis Business Journal

Maybelline New York Signs New Supermodel Jessica White

Maybelline New York announces that Jessica White, the stunning and elegant supermodel, has become Maybelline New York's newest spokesperson. She joins Maybelline New York's prestigious roster including Christy Turlington, Erin Wasson, Adriana Lima, Tomiko Fraser, Julia Stegner, and Zhang Ziyi.

Read more: PR Newswire

Young Black Girls Appear To Be Maturing Earlier

There is growing anecdotal evidence that young children, especially African American girls, are reaching puberty at earlier and earlier ages.

St. Louis Children's Hospital pediatric endocrinologist Bess Marshall says the apparent trend is sending "a panic through parents."

Nationwide, experts in the field believe they are seeing increasing numbers of females entering puberty as young as age eight and Black girls appear to be reaching puberty a year earlier than white girls.

Read More: EURweb.com