Inclusion of the MENA Category in the U.S. Census: Will MENA Individuals and Their Health Disparities be Finally Visible?

Abstract

Adding a Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) category to the United States (U.S.) Census is necessary to identify the barriers that MENA Americans face, and the first step in eliminating them. In the U.S., racial and ethnic categories have shifted significantly throughout history to accommodate the constant changes in the demographic makeup and the sociopolitical climate of the country. The racial and ethnic classification of individuals in the U.S. reflects the type of services, fundings, and opportunities (e.g., economic, educational, health, housing) that a person can benefit from. Beyond providing population data, Census results dictate the annual distribution of more than $675 billion in federal funds. But because they have been classified as White in the U.S. Census, residents who trace their ancestry to the Middle East and North Africa region have historically experienced systematic invisibility that became central to their daily lives (Abboud et al., 2019).