Exploring the Experiences of Black Muslim Women in Alberta Emergency Departments: An Interpretive Description Study

Ali, Asmaa

Exploring the Experiences of Black Muslim Women in Alberta Emergency Departments: An Interpretive Description Study

dc.contributor.advisor	dela Cruz, Aniela
dc.contributor.author	Ali, Asmaa
dc.contributor.committeemember	Jackson, Jennifer
dc.contributor.committeemember	Venturato, Lorraine
dc.date	2025-02
dc.date.accessioned	2024-12-09T18:49:38Z
dc.date.available	2024-12-09T18:49:38Z
dc.date.issued	2024-12-04
dc.description.abstract	Background: Black Muslim women have a unique set of religious and cultural beliefs that impact how they receive healthcare. A growing body of literature on health equity suggests that gaps in healthcare providers’ systemic, social, and cultural awareness of the unique needs of diverse patient populations can add to poor patient health outcomes. Aim: This research project aims to explore how race, faith, and gender impact Black Muslim women’s experiences receiving care in emergency departments (EDs) in Alberta. Methods: Six Albertan Black Muslim women who self-reported a personal ED visit within the last five years were interviewed, and data were analyzed using qualitative interpretive description methodology. Findings: Participants described patient-provider relations as strained due to communication challenges rooted in past experiences of racism and distrust in the healthcare system. Further, participants’ race, faith, and cultural needs in a healthcare setting fundamentally impacted their ED care experience. Lastly, participants highlighted that healthcare system challenges such as lack of access to family physicians across the province, long wait times, and rural barriers to care were exceedingly difficult to navigate when compounded with past experiences of discrimination. Discussion: This study provides insight for healthcare professionals on the experiences of Black Muslim women who present to the ED. Using the Population Health Promotion Model (Hamilton & Bhatti, 1996) as a framework, I located and analyzed the findings of this study in the context of the social systems and determinants of health that impact Black Muslim women. Discussing the findings from a health promotion perspective highlights the barriers and challenges Black Muslim women face. Further, it supports knowledge translation to practically inform clinical best practices and health promotion initiatives for this population.
dc.identifier.citation	Ali, A. (2024). Exploring the experiences of black Muslim women in Alberta emergency departments: an interpretive description study (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/1880/120166
dc.language.iso	en
dc.publisher.faculty	Graduate Studies
dc.publisher.institution	University of Calgary
dc.rights	University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subject	Black women
dc.subject	Muslim women
dc.subject	Women's health
dc.subject	Emergency medicine
dc.subject	Health equity
dc.subject	Social determinants of health
dc.subject	Black health
dc.subject	Nursing
dc.subject.classification	Education--Health
dc.subject.classification	Education--Religious
dc.subject.classification	Black Studies
dc.subject.classification	Nursing
dc.subject.classification	Public Health
dc.title	Exploring the Experiences of Black Muslim Women in Alberta Emergency Departments: An Interpretive Description Study
dc.type	master thesis
thesis.degree.discipline	Nursing
thesis.degree.grantor	University of Calgary
thesis.degree.name	Master of Nursing (MN)
ucalgary.thesis.accesssetbystudent	I do not require a thesis withhold – my thesis will have open access and can be viewed and downloaded publicly as soon as possible.