Arab American Women Research Articles

Correlates of Lifestyle Physical Activity Among Young Arab American Women.

Young Arab American women are at risk for cardiovascular disease, but there is limited data on their physical activity (PA) engagement. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between PA and its correlates in young Arab American women. The objectives of this study were to: (1) describe self-reported lifestyle PA behaviors of young Arab American women and (2) examine the relationship between their self-reported lifestyle PA, device-measured lifestyle PA (combined moderate/vigorous and steps), and potentially associated factors (demographics, physical measures, individual factors, and behavior cognition factors). This cross-sectional study was conducted with women 18 to 35 years of age and Arab American (n = 50) in the Midwest Region of the United States. Participants wore ActiGraph GT3X-BT monitors for 7 days; self-report measures included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, demographics, acculturation, discrimination, religiosity, self-efficacy, and social support. The mean age of participants was 25.5 years (SD: 5.5; range: 18-35). Per ActiGraph, the average daily steps were 5946 (SD: 2783); only 24% met the moderate-intensity PA guidelines. Self-efficacy was significantly associated with increased moderate-to-vigorous PA (B = 0.37; P = .012). The average daily steps for the young Arab American women in this study were of low active classification. More than 75% of the women failed to meet the recommended weekly moderate/vigorous PA guidelines. Our study supports the importance of targeting and tailoring PA interventions on young Arab American women who have low self-efficacy for overcoming barriers to lifestyle PA.

Cervical cancer screening and vaccination acceptability and attitudes among Arab American women in Southeastern Michigan: a qualitative study

Among Arab-American women in Michigan, rates of cervical cancer screening are lower than those in non-Hispanic White and Black women in the state. A deep understanding of the Arab community’s perspective on cervical cancer screening is needed to address the disparity in rates across populations in Michigan. Arab and Chaldean women across Michigan were invited to participate in Zoom-based focus groups to understand the attitudes, acceptability, and barriers of cervical cancer screening among this population. Four focus groups with a total of 19 women aged 30 to 61 were conducted. The focus groups were conducted in English, Arabic, or both languages. The guided discussion was focused on knowledge of cervical cancer and Human papillomavirus (HPV) and its transmission, attitudes towards HPV vaccination, and attitudes towards cervical cancer screening. HPV self-sampling as an alternative to traditional provider-based screening was specifically discussed as this has been proposed as a way to increase screening in hard-to-reach populations. The conversations revealed insights related to barriers at the individual and community levels for screening and vaccination, attitudes towards preventive health care including screening, a need for accessible women’s health literature, and health education. The women also discussed vaccine hesitancy related to HPV and COVID-19, suggesting a need for targeted community interventions.

The impact of mental health on Arab American women’s relational satisfaction

ABSTRACT The relational interactions between Arab American couples are significantly influenced by their family of origin, culture, and religion. The purpose of this study is to examine the intricacies of Arab Americans in romantic relationships. Specifically, this study examines mental health and relationship satisfaction in Arab American couples. Western values emphasize and prioritize individual well-being, which is not typically considered outside the scope of Arab American relationships. Researchers sought to examine factors that predict relationship satisfaction in Arab American women. Pearson correlations and a hierarchical multiple regression were conducted. Age and education both impacted relational satisfaction. Additionally, results showed that mental health was a statistically significant predictor of relational satisfaction. Clinical recommendations for clinicians are provided to help understand Arab American clients along with the culture they are part of and to be trained in cultural humility.

Disordered eating and emotional eating in Arab, middle eastern, and north African American women

Arab, Middle Eastern, and North African (A-MENA) American women are often subject to intersectional discrimination, and they have also not been traditionally recognized as a distinct racial group in disordered eating literature. No study to date has provided descriptive information on disordered and emotional eating A-MENA American women, nor has examined perceptions of widely used measurements of eating pathology in this population. The current study generated descriptive information among A-MENA women on two widely used measures of eating pathology, the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) and the Emotional Eating Scale (EES). Participants (N = 244) were A-MENA adult women were recruited via social media and snowball sampling. Qualitative findings provide potential sociocultural predictors of disordered eating that should be further explored, such as bicultural identity and family pressures/comments toward appearance. Secondly, themes from the EES-R indicate adding emotion of shame and considering identity-related stress. The current study provides prevalence data and future directions of research on widely used eating pathology and appearance attitude measurements for A-MENA American women.

Postnatal depression and social support during the COVID-19 pandemic among Arab women in Jordan and the United States: A comparative study

<b>Objectives:</b> To compare the levels of postnatal depression experienced by Arab women in Jordan and the United States (USA) and the impact of social support during the COVID-19 pandemic.<br /> <b>Methodology:</b> Participants were recruited through online survey links and social media channels, as well as face to face. A sample comprising 434 women in the postnatal period participated in the study that included Arab women in the USA and Jordan women, responding to a comprehensive questionnaire that encompassed inquiries about their pandemic status, demographic characteristics, postnatal depression, and social support. CES-D depression scale was used to determine the level of depression.<br /> <b>Findings:</b> The depression mean score among women in the postnatal period from Jordan was 24.90±4.14 and the depression mean score among Arab women in the USA was 27.70±4.49. The prevalence of depression among Jordanian women was 52.8% and the prevalence of depression among Arab American women was 73.0%. There is a significant difference between both groups in depression during the postnatal period with more prevalence among Arab American women (t=7.64, p=.010). There are no significant differences between groups in tangible and actual social support among both groups (t=1.50, p=.127).<br /> <b>Conclusions</b>: This nationwide study conducted among postnatal women in Jordan has shed light on several critical findings. Our study found that Arab women in the USA were suffering from more depression compared to Jordanian women. Moreover, our research highlighted a significant inverse relationship between social support and postnatal depression, indicating that as social support increased, levels of depression decreased among women in the postnatal period.

Inhabiting the Hyphen: (Re)Negotiating Arab-American Identity in Poems by Lisa Suhair Majaj, Laila Halaby and Suheir Hammad

Like the many “ethnic” literatures in the United States, Arab-American literature is often caught up in attempts to define the “migrant subjectivities” of its authors. Focusing on a selection of poems by Arab-American women writers, this article looks into how such writers negotiate their hyphenated being, and how they view identity not as a fixed category, but rather as an interplay between its performance and its perception. This essay analyses how these writers express their own sense of being in order to highlight, destabilize, and/or reconcile the often “assumed” paradox inherent within their double identity, especially after the rise of anti-Arab sentiment following the events of 9/11. This article, thus, focuses on a reading of a selection of poems by Lisa Suhair Majaj, Laila Halaby, and Suheir Hammad in search of the poetics of subjectivity their work performs.

MICHAEL SULEIMAN, SUAD JOSEPH, and LOUISE CAINKAR, eds., Arab American Women: Representation and Refusal (Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2021)

MICHAEL SULEIMAN, SUAD JOSEPH, and LOUISE CAINKAR, eds., Arab American Women: Representation and Refusal (Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2021)

Arab American Women: Representations and Refusal, edited by Michael W. Suleiman, Suad Joseph, and Louise Cainkar

Arab American Women: Representations and Refusal, edited by Michael W. Suleiman, Suad Joseph, and Louise Cainkar

Physical Activity Behavior and Measurement in Arab American Women: An Integrative Review.

Physical activity (PA) is associated with cardiovascular health; however, in the U.S., only 20% of women are physically active, compared to 28% of men. Arab American women (AAW) experience unique barriers to engaging in the recommended PA. This review examines quantitative PA studies conducted with AAW with a specific focus on how PA outcomes were assessed. Studies were analyzed to explore: (a) types of PA behavior, (b) components of PA interventions/interest (if conducted), (c) PA measurement, and (d) translation of PA tools. After screening titles, abstracts, and a full-text review of articles from five different databases, 12 studies met the inclusion criteria. Leisure-time PA was the most readily used PA measure. Only two out of the 12 studies included women-only participants. There was a total of 10 cross-sectional studies and two quasi-experimental studies. All the studies used a self-report PA questionnaire; one study used a pedometer to measure PA. Six PA questionnaires were translated into Arabic. Future studies must explore the use of reliable and valid translated instruments, objective PA measures, and randomized controlled trial designs.

"Arab, brown, and other": Voices of Muslim Arab American women on identity, discrimination, and well-being.

The purpose of the present study was to explore Muslim Arab American women's intersecting identities, the types of discrimination they experience, and the psychosocial effects of those experiences on identity and well-being. Thirteen Muslim Arab American women were interviewed utilizing the consensual qualitative research (CQR) approach. Final domains that emerged from the data included conceptualization of racial, ethnic, and religious identity; experiences and effect of microaggressions; and coping strategies. The results document discrimination at the intersection of their multiple identities, a perceived shift in stereotypes from weak and oppressed to anti-American and violent, and within-group discrimination in the form of colorism and judgment. Reported psychological effects of discrimination include internalization of stereotypes, burden to represent all Muslims, rejection of the White racial label, and increased activism. The findings highlight resilience and coping through active self-acceptance and advocacy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Psychological symptoms in Arab American women: Adverse childhood experiences, racism, and the role of religiosity.

Psychological symptoms in Arab American women: Adverse childhood experiences, racism, and the role of religiosity.

Politically related stress and low-birth-weight infants among Arab, Asian, Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic White women in Michigan.

Despite the high cost of low birth weight and the persistent challenge of racial inequities affecting the Arab American community, there has been limited research to identify and examine risk factors for these inequities with validated data on Arab American ethnicity and recent population stressors. This study examined whether the 2016 presidential election is associated with low birth weight among non-Hispanic White, Arab American, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic Black women. This population-based study of singleton births in Michigan (2008-2017) used an algorithm to identify mothers who were of Arab descent. We used logistic regression to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association between race/ethnicity and the odds of low birth weight. We examined whether these associations differed before and after the 2016 presidential election and according to maternal education. There were 1,019,738 births, including 66,272 (6.5%) classified as low birth weight. The odds of having a low-birth-weight infant were higher among all minority women compared to non-Hispanic White women. The association was similar before and after the 2016 presidential election and stronger among women with higher levels of education. This is the first study to estimate low birth weight among Arab American women in the context of political events. There are opportunities for future studies to discuss this issue in depth.

Arab American Women: Representation and Refusal

Arab American Women: Representation and Refusal

Ethnic identity in Arab Americans: gender, religious upbringing, and age differences

ABSTRACT Arab Americans constitute a diverse, sizeable ethnic minority in the United States. However, limited research has examined the content of Arab American ethnic identity and whether this ethnic identity differs by demographic factors. In the present study, we developed measures of Arab American ethnic identity and cultural practice, and assessed differences in those variables by gender, religious affiliation (Muslim, Christian), and age. Arab American adults recruited online from Amazon Mechanical Turk (N = 391) completed an adaptation of the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity and a measure of cultural practice that was created for this study based on pre-existing scales. Items loaded onto dimensions of identity (ethnic centrality, private regard, public regard), and subscales showed invariance across gender and religious upbringing. When examining group differences in ethnic identity, we found that attitudes regarding being Arab American varied by gender, such that Arab American women reported higher private regard and lower public regard than men. In turn, participants raised in Muslim households reported higher ethnic centrality and cultural practice than those raised in Christian households, potentially related to Muslims’ status as a religious minority in the United Status. Finally, young adults were lower in centrality and private regard than older adults, suggesting either that ethnic identity may develop into adulthood or that young adults’ ethnic identity may be influenced by growing up in American society post-9/11. Taken together, findings illustrate the heterogeneity in the ethnic identity of Arab Americans. Further research is needed to understand individual differences in Arab Americans’ ethnic identity.

Abstract 2211: Cervical cancer screening and vaccination acceptability and attitudes amongst Arab American women in southeastern Michigan

Abstract Cervical cancer screening rates among Arab-American women have been consistently shown to be lower than that of non-Hispanic White and Black women in the state of Michigan. Addressing the low cervical cancer screening rates among Arab American women in Michigan requires a deep understanding of the community’s perspective about cervical cancer screening. Thus, we conducted a series of focus groups in Southeastern Michigan to understand the attitudes, acceptability, and barriers of cervical cancer screening among this population. Four focus groups with a total of 19 women were conducted via Zoom. Participants were recruited through social media channels and community organizations. All focus groups were conducted with self-identifying Arab, Arab American, or Chaldean women aged 30 to 61. The focus groups were conducted in either English, Arabic, or a mixture of both languages. Women completed a brief anchoring survey with demographic questions and a self-assessment of their HPV knowledge (see Table 1). The guided discussion centered around knowledge of cervical cancer, broadly, knowledge of Human papillomavirus (HPV) and its transmission, attitudes towards the HPV vaccination, and attitudes towards cervical cancer screening, which included HPV self-sampling methods. The recorded sessions were transcribed and are being coded using Dedoose Version 8.0.35, a qualitative analysis software. During the focus group, the discussion centered around barriers at the individual and community levels for screening and vaccination, attitudes towards preventive health care including screening, a need for accessible women’s health literature, and health education. The women also discussed vaccine hesitancy related to HPV and COVID19. This suggests the need for targeted community interventions. General characteristics of participants (N*=19) N Mean Age (N=17) 37.9 8.7 (SD) Married (N=18) 11 61.1% Survey Language Arabic 6 31.6% English 13 68.4% How well would you say the financial needs are met in your household? Just sufficient 9 50% More than sufficiently met 3 16.7% Barely making it 3 16.7% Not met at all 3 16.7% How well informed do you think you are about cervical cancer? Not informed at all 1 5.6% Not well informed 10 55.6% Moderately informed 5 27.8% Well informed 1 5.6% Very well informed 1 5.6% Have you had vaginal sex (intercourse) before? Yes 15 83.3% No 3 16.7% Have you had oral sex before? Yes 8 47.1% No 9 52.9% Do you have any children? Yes 15 83.3% No 3 16.7% *Complete data available for 17 participants, partially complete data for 2 participants, and missing data for 1 participant Citation Format: Lilah Khoja, Heidi G. Torres, Mariam Ayyash, Madiha Tariq, Alison M. Mondul, Rafael Meza, Celeste L. Pearce. Cervical cancer screening and vaccination acceptability and attitudes amongst Arab American women in southeastern Michigan [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 2211.

Reading Arab American Literary Variations: An Interview with Rajia Hassib

Abstract In this interview, Rajia Hassib provides answers to various questions related to her fiction, particularly In the Language of Miracles (2015) and A Pure Heart (2020). This interview, and the discussion that stems from it, introduce critical insights into contemporary Arab American women’s literature and thoughts about the multiple aspects that shape and characterize Arab identity in the US diaspora. The interview contributes to existing scholarship concerning the Arab American diaspora and the study of its literature.

Comparative predictors for cervical cancer screening in Southeast Michigan for Middle Eastern-North African (MENA), White and African American/black women

The cervical cancer screening behaviors of Arab American women are not adequately understood, in part because Middle Eastern North African (MENA) descent is not a US Census category. Others have shown decreased cervical cancer screening in this race of women. Our primary aim is to evaluate the predictors of cervical cancer screening among MENA, White and Black women of southeast Michigan.A community-wide health survey reached MENA, White and Black populations asking self-report questions about health behaviors, attitudes, and medical history. Cervical cancer screening was considered up-to-date if it was reported to have occurred within the past three years. Survey responses were limited to women 30–65 years old and were analyzed with inferential and logistic regression models to determine risk factors for cervical cancer screening.Overall, 78% reported cervical cancer screening within the past three years. MENA women screened less often if time in the US was less than ten years (aOR 0.24 (0.05, 0.76)) compared to more than ten years and if single (aOR 0.27 (0.07, 0.97)) compared to married. Religion was not associated with screening in any study population. Those of all races without insurance screened significantly less often than those with insurance.The barriers to cervical cancer screening among MENA women are not associated with religion but instead with lack of insurance and length of time residing in the US.

Concordant physician-patient characteristics lose importance for Arab American women and their healthcare- cross-sectional study

SummaryBackgroundArab American women have preferred women physicians of their own culture in the past. The primary aim of this study is to determine the current influence of religion/culture among MENA women and their preferences for physicians of same sex, culture, and religion on the avoidance and uncomfortableness of routine and women’s health exams.MethodsA cross sectional community survey including religiosity and the importance of physician matched sex, culture, and religion was completed. Outcome measures were avoidance of a routine physical exam, or a women’s health exam because of religious/cultural issues; and the uncomfortableness of the women’s health exam. Linear regression modeling was used to evaluate the association between outcomes and potential predictors, with significance assessed using a bootstrap method.FindingsThe responses of 97 MENA women 30–65 years old showed that MENA women agreed that they would avoid routine health exams because of religious/cultural issues if their physician was of the same religion or culture as they were (p < 0.001, p < 0.05, respectively) or they had less education (p < 0.05). MENA women also avoided women’s health exams due to religious/cultural issues if her physician was of the same religion as she (p < 0.01).InterpretationMENA women 30–65 years old may no longer be bound to a female physician of their same religion/culture for their health exams.

EP446: High rates of ‘atypical’ panorama noninvasive prenatal screening results among consanguineous Arab American women

Panorama is one of the most accurate and commonly used methods of cell free DNA noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS). The results are reported as either high risk for a specific aneuploidy, high risk due to fetal fraction, insufficient fetal DNA, atypical, high risk, or no results. It is the only form of NIPS that uses a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) method, representing genetic changes that are present in over 1% of the general population, to screen for common fetal aneuploidies and microdeletion syndromes.

Between the Hammer and the Anvil: Complex Status of Women in Contemporary Arab American Women’s Fiction

Between the Hammer and the Anvil: Complex Status of Women in Contemporary Arab American Women’s Fiction