Access to Healthcare Among Minoritized Muslims in Southeast Michigan:

A Systems Approach

The purpose of this community-engaged research study is to empower Muslims in Southeast Michigan with the knowledge and tools to advocate for accessible, equitable, unbiased and quality health care in their communities. We will partner with organizations that serve some of the most vulnerable and minoritized Muslim communities living in Southeast Michigan, including but not limited to African American, Latino and Indigenous Native American Muslims as well as refugee and low-income first and second generation Muslim immigrants. We will use the community based system dynamics (CBSD) approach to achieve the following study objectives.

A concerned woman wearing a hijab looks at a scan held by an older male doctor.

Study Objectives:

Conduct a group model building workshop with diverse stakeholders including patients (Muslim), clinicians, payors, policy makers, and hospital and health systems.
Develop accessible communication tools for use by workshop stakeholders to educate and disseminate study findings within their organizations and communities.
Organize forums to disseminate workshop findings to the broader Southeast Michigan community.

This is an exploratory mixed methods study in which we will use a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods through the lens of community engaged research. Each study objective will use a different research design. For Objectives 1 and 2, we will use the community-based system dynamics (CBSD) approach. CBSD is a set of methods from participatory modeling and involves facilitated group discussions in a workshop format, conducting a qualitative analysis of the diagrams and written content generated from the workshops, and developing a quantitative model of the relationship between factors identified by workshop participants from the community and scientific data and knowledge. For Objective 3, we will use community engagement and dissemination research methods to organize the proposed forums for different stakeholder types.

The diagram below captures the linked nature of activities between each objective:

Read Report 1: Basic Characteristics

Read Report 2: Perspectives and Activities

Report Partner Organizations

Center on Muslim Philanthropy

The Center on Muslim Philanthropy seeks to strengthen Muslim philanthropy in United States by promoting research, best practices and education. We imagine a social good community of non-profit professionals, social entrepreneurs, and philanthropists fulfilling their mission collaboratively and making the world a better place.

Islamic Society of North America

At ISNA, we believe that Muslim Americans are a positive force in society through their work for spiritual and civic engagement in the US and beyond. Our mission is to foster the development of the Muslim community, interfaith relations, civic engagement, and a better understanding of Islam. We strive to be an exemplary and unifying Islamic organization in North America that contributes to the betterment of the Muslim community and society at large

Institute for Social Policy and Understanding

ISPU provides objective research and education about American Muslims to support well-informed dialogue and decision-making. Our research aims to educate the general public and enable community change agents, the media, and policymakers to make evidence-based decisions.

Project Updates (as of September 2023):

We recruited and have held our first meeting with local public health and health care leaders. These local leaders have agreed to be part of the core modeling team, which is a type of steering committee for the overall project.
We are finalizing logistics for the first group model building workshop, which is planned for end of 2023.
We plan to send out invitations to potential workshop participants very soon.
Our team was invited to submit a session proposal titled “Co-Creating a Shared Vision for Healthier and Equitable Communities Through Community-Led Research” for the upcoming Accelerating Health Equity Conference.

Project Updates (as of May 2023):

This study has received IRB approval.
We are currently recruiting study participants and engaging with a wide range of community partners in the Southeast Michigan area.

Check back often for additional updates!

Project Funder:

Support for this research (grant #79552) was provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Community Research for Health Equity program, managed by AcademyHealth. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation or AcademyHealth.

Infographics

Graphs for Report 1 of the US Mosque Survey 2020

Click here to download all 41 graphs from Report 1.

MOSQUE NUMBERS AND LOCATIONS

MOSQUE OPPOSITION AND SAFETY

CONVERSIONS AND MOSQUE ATTENDANCE

AFRICAN AMERICAN MOSQUES AND ATTENDEES

YOUNG ADULT MUSLIMS

IMAM AGE, EMPLOYMENT, AND EDUCATION

IMAM NATIONALITY AND SALARY

MOSQUE GOVERNING BODIES

MOSQUE BOARDS, COMMITTEES, AND DECISION MAKERS

MOSQUE CONFLICT AND EMPLOYMENT

MOSQUE BUDGETS AND FUNDRAISING

SHI’ITE MOSQUES

Dive into the Data: Report 1

Click here to download all 41 graphs and figures from Report 1.

Videos

This webinar, published on July 6, 2021, is the first of two sessions covering the findings of the US Mosque Survey 2020, with a focus on Report 1: Basic Characteristics of the American Mosque. ISPU’s Dalia Mogahed moderates a panel with report author and primary investigator Dr. Ihsan Bagby, Azhar Azeez (ISNA), Tayyab Yunus (CMP), and Dr. Scott Thumma (Hartford Seminary).

This webinar, published on August 23, 2021, is the second of two sessions covering the findings of the US Mosque Survey 2020, with a focus on Report 2: Perspectives and Activities. ISPU’s Dalia Mogahed moderates a panel with report author and primary investigator Dr. Ihsan Bagby, Dr. Ingrid Mattson (Hurma Project, ISNA), and Dr. Besheer Mohamed (Pew Research Center).

Community Partner

Huda Clinic

HUDA Clinic is a health facility that offers free healthcare services to the public. They provide preventative screenings, health assessments, management for chronic care illnesses, and referrals to specialists as needed. They have expanded from their beginnings in the Muslim Community Center in 2004 through the help of volunteers, partnerships with local organizations and hospitals, and generous donations.