(BUFFALO, N.Y. – July 23, 2013) SUNY Empire State College today announced that Faculty Mentor Catherine Collins’ book, “African American Women’s Life Issues Today: Vital Health and Social Matters” (Praeger 2013) has been published.

‌Written by an all-female, all-African-American team of health experts that include nurse-practitioners, registered nurses, educators and psychologists, it focuses on the diseases and related social issues that cause the greatest harm and pose the greatest threat to African-American women today.

It is one in a series of books written or edited by Collins on African-American women’s health or social issues. Her last book, “The Imprisonment of African American Women: Causes, Experiences and Effects, 2d ed.,” was released in 2010.

“Dr. Collins’ work in the past several years has a common theme,” said Nan DiBello, dean of the college's Niagara Frontier Center. “Her published works and edited volumes make an important contribution to understanding the lives of contemporary African-American women. Dr. Collins’ most recent edited work continues this theme, and provides professional and general readers up-to-date information about critical health issues as they relate to the lives of African-American women.”

“Each chapter has recommended health behaviors and outcomes,” Collins says, “and there is a special focus on the so-called ‘superwoman syndrome’ which explores how we frequently have to juggle so many hats.”

Chapters address topics as varied as heart disease, cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, domestic violence, cervical and breast cancers, obesity, depression, mental illness, dementia/Alzheimer’s and incarcerated women’s health care. A chapter is dedicated to identifying the social, cultural and environmental barriers that block African-American women from experiencing the best possible lives.

The book can be used as a textbook, but is also of interest to general audiences, including those who want to use it as personal reference or those interested in African American history and culture.

According to the publisher, the book provides comprehensive coverage of the topic from an Afrocentric perspective, and will be of great interest to medical and psychological health professionals and professors; social workers, counselor, and students in these fields; as well as African-American women seeking current and expert information on these health threats.

Other books in the series are  “African American Women’s Health and Social Issues” and “Sources of Stress and Relief for African American Women (Race and Ethnicity in Psychology)” also published by Praeger.

Next up for Collins is a book that focuses on the special issues affecting black girls.

About SUNY Empire State College

SUNY Empire State College was established in 1971 to offer adult learners the opportunity to earn associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the State University of New York.

In addition to awarding credit for prior college-level learning, the college pairs each student with a faculty mentor who supports that student throughout his or her college career. Students engage in guided independent study and course work onsite, online or a combination of both, which provides the flexibility for students to learn at the time, place and pace they choose.

The college serves more than 20,000 students worldwide at more than 35 locations in New York state and online. Its 70,000 alumni are active in their communities as entrepreneurs, politicians, business professionals, artists, nonprofit agency employees, teachers, veterans and active military, union members and more.

More information about the college is available here.

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Media contact: David Henahan, director of communications

518-587-2100, ext. 2918

David.Henahan@esc.edu

518-321-7038 (after hours and on weekends)