“She Told Me What to Expect”: Intergenerational Narratives, Intersecting Systems of Power, and Black Women’s Sense-Making of Uterine Fibroids

Javonna Friend

Advisor: Richard T Craig, PhD, Department of Communication

Committee Members: Iccha Basnyat, Timothy Gibson

Online Location,
April 30, 2026, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Abstract:

Uterine fibroids disproportionately affect Black women, who experience earlier onset, more severe symptoms, and greater treatment burdens compared to other populations. While existing research has documented structural inequities and clinical outcomes, limited scholarship has explored how familial communication shapes Black women’s understanding and management of this condition. Integrating the Intersectionality framework and the Communicated Narrative Sense-Making (CNSM) theory, this study investigates how Black women diagnosed with symptomatic uterine fibroids interpret, internalize, and apply narratives structured through intersecting systems of power and shared within intergenerational family relationships. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 24 Black women who had been diagnosed with symptomatic uterine fibroids and had engaged in conversations about the condition with mothers or othermothers, such as grandmothers, sisters, aunts, or close female friends. Using Reflexive Thematic Analysis, this study reveals salient messages about uterine fibroid management mediated through intersecting systems of race and gender that Black women received from their mothers and othermothers. It identifies key themes that illustrate participants’ sense-making of those intergenerational narratives. Findings reveal that Black women-centered networks serve as critical sites of health knowledge and socialization, shaping participants’ understanding of treatment options, perceptions of intergenerational risk, navigation of fertility concerns, and responses to silence and stigma surrounding reproductive health. This study advances family and health communication scholarship by integrating Intersectionality and CNSM to theorize how intergenerational narratives constituted through intersecting systems of power operate within family contexts to condition Black women’s sense-making of reproductive health disparities. It also offers practical implications for developing culturally responsive health interventions that leverage women-centered networks to improve communication, reduce stigma, and support earlier and more informed management of uterine fibroids among Black women. 

Keywords: Uterine Fibroids, Black Women, Management, Intersectionality, Intergenerational, Messages, Narratives 

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Meeting ID: 977 7258 4682