Another barrier to longevity among African American women: The correlation of stress, colorectal cancer, and African American women

Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of death among African American women in the United States. It is a disease that affects many; however, the direct cause is still unknown. The purpose of this research was to find if there was a direct correlation between stress, colorectal cancer, and African American women. In performing a contextual analysis with the MEDLINE with Full Text and PubMed Central databases, the literature revealed that although stress was not the main causal factor of colorectal cancer, other prominent risk factors existed. There is a great need for public health interventions and programs that cater to the needs of the African American female population to ensure their health needs are met.