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The association between perceived discrimination and breast cancer incidence was assessed in the Black Women’s Health Study.

http://www.bu.edu/bwhs/history.htm#StudyDesign

STARTING THE BWHS
Before seeking National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding for the study, we set out to show that out idea was feasible. We decided that a follow-up design was best and developed a questionnaire. The questionnaire asked about age, education, contraceptive use, smoking, and other factors that might be related to health and disease. The National Education Association allowed us to mail questionnaires to a sample of black female teachers; the federal government delivered questionnaires through their personnel offices to a sample of black female employees; and Essence magazine gave us access to a sample of subscribers after we had paid a fee. The completed questionnaires that were returned to us showed clearly that enough black women were willing to provide useful and accurate health information to make a study feasible. After submitting a detailed grant proposal to NIH, review of the proposal, and revision, we received funding. The entire process, from developing the idea and conducting the studies to show that our study would work, to receiving funding for the BWHS, took about four years. With the funding secured, in 1995 we sent health questionnaires to subscribers to Essence magazine, women who had participated in our feasibility studies, members of the Black Nurses’ Association, and friends and relatives of respondents. The 59,000 women who returned completed questionnaires became the members of the BWHS.

HOW LONG WILL THE BWHS LAST?
The BWHS celebrated its 10 year anniversary in 2005. The first NIH grant for the BWHS was for 5 years. The study was continued for a second 5-year period, and again for a further 5 years (until 2009). We will continue to apply for re-funding every 5 years and hope that the study will continue.