Black immigrant women in the United States: Social determinants of health and data harmonization

The Black immigrant population in the U.S. has grown significantly, from 800,000 in 1980 to 4.6 million in 2019, now representing one in ten Black individuals. Despite this growth, Black immigrant women remain understudied, particularly regarding chronic conditions such as HIV/AIDS and cancer. This paper synthesizes research on the health experiences of Black immigrant women in the U.S. living with these conditions. A systematic search across five databases yielded 2,150 articles. However, inconsistencies in the conceptual and operational definitions of key variables—particularly race, ethnicity, gender, and duration of U.S. residency—prompted a revised focus on harmonization of these constructs. A second full-text review of articles resulted in 19 studies included for final analysis. Of these, 11 articles were qualitative, seven quantitative, and one used a mixed methods approach. Thirteen articles focused on HIV/AIDS, five on cancer, and one on general health. Race was often unexamined, conflated with ethnicity, or inferred through birthplace. This review underscores significant gaps in knowledge on Black immigrant women's health. Better conceptual clarity and focused research are essential to understanding how social determinants shape chronic disease outcomes in this growing population.