# ‘It's Just Not Working’, a Qualitative Exploration of the Weight‐Related Healthcare Experiences of Individuals of Arab Heritage With Higher Weight in Australia

## TL;DR

This study explores how individuals of Arab heritage with higher weight in Australia experience weight-related discrimination and cultural insensitivity in healthcare settings.

## Contribution

The study provides novel qualitative insights into the intersectional healthcare experiences of Arab heritage individuals with higher weight in Australia.

## Key findings

- Participants reported appearance-based judgments and assumptions by healthcare providers.
- Cultural and religious needs were often overlooked in healthcare interactions.
- Systemic constraints and lack of cultural responsiveness were identified as key issues.

## Abstract

Culturally and linguistically diverse population groups disproportionately experience higher weight and other non–weight‐related discrimination in healthcare settings outside of their ancestral country. Little is known about the experiences of individuals with Arab heritage. This study aimed to qualitatively explore the intersectional weight‐related healthcare experiences of individuals of Arab heritage with higher weight in Australia.

A general inductive enquiry approach was used. Purposive, convenience and snowball sampling was used to recruit individuals of Arab heritage residing in Australia. Individuals were invited to participate in an online semistructured interview. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed.

Fifteen participants took part in the study. Of these participants, 93% were female (n = 14), 80% were aged between 18 and 44 years (n = 12), 73% were university educated (n = 11), 53% were born outside of Australia (n = 8) and all were Muslim (n = 15). Four main themes were identified: (1) appearance‐based judgement, (2) generalised advice and assumptions, (3) cultural responsiveness and (4) healthcare system constraints.

Individuals of Arab heritage with higher weight in Australia, namely, females, often perceive their healthcare experiences as dismissive of their cultural and religious needs and driven by causality assumptions around weight. It is crucial that care delivered encompasses cultural humility, is weight‐inclusive and acknowledges systemic constraints. Cultural safety training benchmarks, healthcare management reform and weight‐inclusive healthcare approaches are recommended to assist healthcare providers in delivering effective, holistic and culturally safe care.

Insights gained from conversations with Arab heritage community members with lived experiences regarding weight‐related healthcare encounters informed the study design and approach.