American Muslim Physicians’ Public Role Post-9/11 and Minority Community Empowerment: Serving the Underserved

Abstract

This study assesses American Muslim physicians’ public role and levels of civic, community, and political involvement; examines the relationship between religiosity and civic/community involvement; and identifies community empowerment and social change. The results show that civic/community action is associated primarily with one's level of religiosity, t = 2.74 (df = 301.3), p < .03; age 2.69 (df = 317.7), p = .007; country of origin, t = 11.5 (df = 2), p = .006; and gender, t = 4.52 (df = 1), p = .03. Participants’ charitable giving, willingness to treat uninsured patients without charge, and provision of financial and medical support suggest that their public role could have health policy and community empowerment implications for civic engagement and positive social change in their community vis-à-vis underserved Americans.