Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39653989›Full record

ArticleJournal of racial and ethnic health disparities2026

"Our Voices Will Get Louder": A Qualitative Exploration of Factors Influencing Arab/Middle Eastern North African (MENA) American Patient Participation in US-Based Health Care and Health Research.

Siwaar Abouhala, Aber Abdulle, Ghada Aziz, Asma Hussein, Noor Zanial, Itedal Shalabi, Matthew Jaber Stiffler, Roula Hawa, Madiha Tariq, Ghadeer Ady and 2 more

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Article in Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Siwaar AbouhalaBoston College William F. Connell School of Nursing, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA.
Aber AbdulleBoston College William F. Connell School of Nursing, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA.
Ghada AzizArab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS), Dearborn, MI, USA.
Asma HusseinSomali Family Services, San Diego, CA, USA.
Noor ZanialBoston College William F. Connell School of Nursing, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA.
Itedal ShalabiArab American Family Services, Worth, IL, USA.
Matthew Jaber StifflerCenter for Arab Narratives (CAN), Dearborn, MI, USA.
Roula HawaFamily Studies and Human Development, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Madiha TariqArab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS), Dearborn, MI, USA.
Ghadeer AdyArab American Family Support Center New York (AAFSNY), New York, NY, USA.
Germine H AwadDepartment of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Nadia N AbuelezamBoston College William F. Connell School of Nursing, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA. abueleza@msu.edu.ORCID 0000-0002-5459-8592

Funding

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute EACB-22821
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHeightened anti-Arab/Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) xenophobia in the United States (US) coupled with the addition of a MENA category on the next US Census call into attention the health needs of this minoritized population. Targeted research is needed to better understand the factors that influence Arab/MENA American participation in US-based health research and health care.

methodsA novel qualitative interview guide was constructed to better understand the health research experiences, health care experiences and needs of Arab/MENA patients nationally. Patients were recruited through the Arab American Health Network Alliance (AAHNA) community connections. Semi-structured interviews were conducted virtually in English and Arabic, and qualitative data was interpreted through iterative thematic analysis using inductive reasoning.

resultsA total of seventeen interviews (n = 17) were completed (14 in English, 3 in Arabic). Notably, the majority identified as female (82%) and have resided in the US for 18 years or longer (53%). Three main themes were identified (1) Individual-level Comfortability and Access to Research Participation, (2) Advancing Community Health Outcomes and Participation, and (3) Structural Barriers as Drivers of Health Disparities.

conclusionThe health research and health care experiences explored in this project have the potential of informing future inquiries on Arab/MENA American health. For instance, we suggest building community trust, providing equitable compensation and support, increasing health workforce diversity, and advocating for affordable health care, all to improve Arab/MENA patient participation in health research.

Indexed as

ArabsHealth Services ResearchPatient ParticipationAdultAfrica, NorthernAgedFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedMiddle EastNorth African PeopleQualitative ResearchUnited StatesYoung AdultArab AmericansHealth research participationMENA AmericansQualitative research

Identifiers

PMID39653989

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.