title: Patient-centered care for Muslim women: provider and patient perspectives.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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).
  
  
  RESULTS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. memoona@uic.edu
authors.forename: Memoona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hasnain
authors.forename: Karen J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Connell
authors.forename: Usha
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Menon
authors.forename: Patrick A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Tranmer
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002641:Chicago; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054521:Cultural Competency; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000145:classification; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam / Q000523:psychology*; D007802:Language; D017533:Marital Status; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health / Q000208:ethnology*