Journal of general internal medicine
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To increase understanding of body image among rural, African-American women through open-ended interviews. ⋯ The pressure to be self-accepting often conflicted with these obese women's dissatisfaction with their own appearance and weight. Although the respondents believed they could lose weight "if [they] put [their] mind to it," those women wanting to lose weight found that they lacked the necessary social support and resources to do so. The conflicts stemming from social pressures and their own ambivalence may result in additional barriers to the prevention of obesity, and an understanding of these issues can help health care providers better address the needs of their patients.
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Comparative Study
Breast cancer screening use by African Americans and Whites in an HMO.
To examine racial differences in breast cancer screening in an HMO that provides screening at no cost. ⋯ In this HMO, African-American and white women obtained breast cancer screening at similar rates. Comparisons with national data showed much higher screening rates in this HMO for both white and African-American women.