Bridging the Gaps in Health Care Access for Arab Americans
There are approximately 3.7 million Arab Americans in the United States, with the majority residing in California, Michigan, and New York. But even with this sizable population, data and documentation on Arab Americans’ health are lacking. This is due to the fact that they are not identified as a minority group and face a lot of healthcare disparities. Because of this, there is a significant absence in providing for their medical needs.
Healthcare disparities experienced by Arab Americans
One of the prominent healthcare disparities challenging Arab Americans is the language barrier. Many of them are not very fluent in English, while most American healthcare providers only speak in their primary language. This can lead to miscommunication and misunderstandings between patients and healthcare providers. In many cases, language barriers can also result in misdiagnosis and overall inadequate service.
Another disparity comes in the form of cultural differences. Arab Americans typically have different beliefs and practices when it comes to health and illness, such as preferring traditional or alternative medicine over Western medicine. This poses a problem because not a lot of healthcare providers are culturally competent enough to understand the unique needs and beliefs of their Arab American patients.
On top of all these, discrimination also poses a significant barrier to healthcare access for Arab Americans. This discrimination is usually based on their ethnicity and religion. The amount of bias-motivated violence and hate crimes that Arab Americans experience can lead to mistrust of even healthcare providers and institutions, which results in the avoidance of healthcare services entirely.
While these healthcare disparities make it difficult for Arab Americans to access healthcare, various initiatives of different scales, such as public policies, local programs, and even individual efforts, are being developed and implemented to help bridge the gap. Below are a few examples of these initiatives.
Initiatives being done to help Arab Americans access healthcare
One of the most recent developments in public policies concerning Arab Americans and their access to healthcare is the Office of Budget and Management’s proposed revisions to the race and ethnicity collection measures used in the United States Census. The proposal aims to provide Middle Easterners and North Africans a separate identifier from White Americans, which will naturally lead to greater visibility and, in turn, larger funding for the long-neglected populations. Resources such as handbooks are also continuously being developed for interpreters, translators, educators, and other practitioners working between Arabic and English in healthcare settings. Case in point, the Introduction to Healthcare for Arabic-speaking Interpreters and Translators was created following the seminal publication of Introduction to Healthcare for Interpreters and Translators by Ineke Crezee.
Given that lack of inclusive healthcare is a universal concern, private and commercial entities are also making efforts to help aid in different types of healthcare. Target Optical makes eye care very accessible, as they provide an online directory of over 570 of their store locations for those looking to have accessible eye exams. These directories include details regarding office hours, exam and store services, plus available payment and insurance options. The directory also includes information on the in-house doctors, including even the different languages that they speak, which is extremely beneficial, especially to Arab Americans who are not fluent in English.
Another example would be gym franchises like Anytime Fitness offering free gym passes to local residents looking to be new members of their gyms, with passes ranging from a single day to one week passes depending on branch location and existing promotions. This is particularly helpful to Arab Americans, who may feel ostracized from other wellness avenues. Such access is especially beneficial, too, given that this population has a high risk of developing chronic health conditions such as diabetes due to their abnormal glucose tolerance. As such, these gym trials allow individuals to explore preventative health measures that can further reduce their chances of costly healthcare issues.
Overall, bridging gaps in Arab American healthcare still has a long way to go. However, with the joint efforts of official departments and well-meaning private organizations, quality and equal healthcare is on the horizon.
Please note that this post was written by a contributor and does not necessarily reflect the views of Arab America or its employees.
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