160 likes | 299 Views
CULTURAL SENSITIVITY AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. Presenter: Dr. Sherin Hussein. OBJECTIVES. Experience with the Muslim community in London Preparation stage Lessons learned from thesis Development of Health and Well-Being classes for Arab women in London Outcomes.
E N D
CULTURAL SENSITIVITY AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY Presenter: Dr. Sherin Hussein
OBJECTIVES Experience with the Muslim community in London Preparation stage Lessons learned from thesis Development of Health and Well-Being classes for Arab women in London Outcomes
MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY IN LONDON Facing a resistant, unaware local community Highlighting the distinction between religious and cultural norms Myself vs. “the others” Support from open-minded Muslim Leaders in London
PREPARATION STAGE • Direct Outreach: • Increasing awareness within the Muslim women’s community • Increasing awareness within the Muslim community at-large • physicians, registered dieticians, registered nurses, pharmacists • Exercise classes once per week on Fridays
PREPARATION STAGE CONT’D • Indirect Outreach: • Utilising weekly Friday Prayer sermons at the London Muslim Mosque to deliver and emphasise the importance of maintaining positive bio, psycho, socio, and spiritual health through exercise • Establishing Muslim Women’s Social Committee • Through social events, and interaction within the community
MY THESIS Culturally-sensitive intervention to reduce risk-factors for Type 2 diabetes among Arab women Cultural sensitivity, integration, and participation Purpose: to describe two lifestyle prevention strategies in ACMW
LESSONS LEARNED • Low physical activity levels • High Body Mass Index • Large waist circumference • High calorie, carbohydrate, and fat consumption
LESSONS LEARNED CONT’D • Barriers to exercise in Arab Canadian Muslim Women: • Few places for exercise • Lack of affordability • Lack of time
STAGES OF CHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY Pre-contemplation Contemplation Preparation Action Maintenance
DEVELOPED HEALTH AND WELL-BEING CLASSES FOR ARAB WOMEN IN LONDON Three times per week (mornings and evenings) Language: instructions delivered in Arabic and English 1 hour per session Babysitting provided Transportation
HEALTH AND WELL-BEING CLASSES CONT’D Turned to community to educate myself on different cultural dances and steps Used familiar cultural dances as form of aerobics (Dabke) Music Media outreach
OUTCOME Development of social support within the group Participating in social programs Women re-discovering and establishing themselves Empowerment
CONCLUSION There is a growing need, in Canadian society, for the introduction of similar culturally sensitive diabetes prevention programs with sound evaluation strategies.