Abstract
The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to address the gap in existing literature regarding provider perspectives about provision of high-quality, culturally appropriate, patient-centered care to Muslim women in the United States and (2) to explore congruence between provider and patient perceptions regarding barriers to and recommendations for providing such care. Using a cross-sectional study design, a written survey was administered to a convenience sample of healthcare providers (n = 80) and Muslim women (n = 27). There was considerable congruence among patients and providers regarding healthcare needs of Muslim women. A majority (83.3%) of responding providers reported encountering challenges while providing care to Muslim women. A majority (93.8%) of responding patients reported that their healthcare provider did not understand their religious or cultural needs. Providers and patients outlined similar barriers/challenges and recommendations. Key challenges included lack of providers' understanding of patients' religious and cultural beliefs; language-related patient-provider communication barriers; patients' modesty needs; patients' lack of understanding of disease processes and the healthcare system; patients' lack of trust and suspicion about the healthcare system, including providers; and system-related barriers. Key recommendations included provider education about basic religious and cultural beliefs of Muslim patients, provider training regarding facilitation of a collaborative patient-provider relationship, addressing language-related communication barriers, and patient education about disease processes and preventive healthcare. Both providers and patients identify significant barriers to the provision of culturally appropriate care to Muslim women. Improving care would require a flexible and collaborative care model that respects and accommodates the needs of patients, provides opportunities for training providers and educating patients, and makes necessary adjustments in the healthcare system. The findings of this study can guide future research aimed at ensuring high-quality, culturally appropriate, patient-centered healthcare for Muslim women in the United States and other western countries.
Highlights
The increasing diversity of the United States population has implications for all aspects of healthcare delivery
The number of immigrants in the United States is on the rise, and the number of racial and ethnic minorities, roughly one third of the U.S population, is expected to become the majority by 2042, with the nation projected to be 54% minority by the year 2050.57 According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care, ‘‘racial and ethnic minorities tend to receive a lower quality of health care than non-minorities, even when access-related factors, such as patient’s insurance status and income, are controlled.’’3
The second largest religious group in the world, are spread geographically across the globe. They are the fastest growing religious group in the United States. It is important for all levels of healthcare providers to understand how to tailor care to meet the needs of this group
Summary
The increasing diversity of the United States population has implications for all aspects of healthcare delivery. Meeting the unique cultural and religious needs of Muslim patients has been a subject of considerable recent interest in the United States and other western countries.[9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22] The increasing number of Muslims in the United States makes it relevant and timely to understand and address barriers to quality care for this population. The number of Muslims in the United States is estimated to be 6 million (47% women) and growing.[23,24] It is HASNAIN ET AL
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