Findings from a Community Health Needs Assessment of Arab Americans in Brooklyn, New York

Introduction: Despite the growing Arab population in the United States, there are gaps in our understanding of the health needs of Arab communities across the United States. To further our understanding of the health needs of Arab populations in New York City, New York University Langone Health (NYULH) conducted a community needs assessment of Arab Americans. The objectives of this needs assessment were to (1) identify individual and community-level health needs among Arab American community members in Brooklyn, NY; (2) identify gaps in available resources for Arab American community members in Brooklyn, NY; and (3) use findings from the assessment to inform NYULH and community-based organization programs for Arab American community members in Brooklyn, NY. Methods: This community health needs assessment was conducted using principles of community-based participatory research in partnership with community- and faith-based organizations that serve Arab American communities. A convenience sample was used to recruit participants (N = 511) from community-based settings in Fall 2019. Results: The prevalence of self-reported chronic diseases was high in the sample: 16% (diabetes), 25% (hypertension), and 26% (high cholesterol). Regular dental cleanings were low among participants with only 38% reporting a cleaning less than 6 months ago. Food insecurity (33%) and housing insecurity (18%) were reported by some participants. Discussion: This community health needs assessment identified individual and community-level health needs among Arab American community members in Brooklyn, NY. Specific health concerns included high chronic diseases, minimal dental care, and low cancer screenings. Conclusion: The findings from this assessment contribute to the limited health data on Arab Americans and highlight important health disparities that urgently need to be addressed, specifically around health screenings, prevention and management of chronic diseases, and dental care. Addressing these gaps in care and health outcomes will require culturally and linguistically tailored health programs designed for Arab American populations, which require input from community members and organizations to facilitate the effectiveness and acceptability of these programs.