Sarah Abboud
Biographic Data
| ID | 199389 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Sarah Abboud |
| GIVEN NAMES | Sarah |
| FAMILY NAME | Abboud |
| SIGNATURE | ABBOUD S |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Illinois Chicago |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-3822-7484 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 28 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 56 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 28 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2010 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
The Perspectives of Arab American Young Adults in Chicagoland Area on Intimate Partner Violence
Barriers and facilitators to healthcare utilisation by Arab sexual minority women migrants in the USA
Limited research on sexual minority women migrants demonstrate that they face elevated rates of mental health problems compared to their heterosexual and male counterparts, and less is known about their healthcare seeking behaviours. This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to mental and physical healthcare utilisation among first-generation (foreign-born) Arab sexual minority women migrants in the USA and to assess whether Penchans…
Exploring the Health Impact of Intersectional Minority Identity Stressors on Arab Sexual Minority Women Migrants to the United States
Using an intersectionality lens and the minority stress theory as our theoretical grounding, this qualitative study is the first to examine the mental health of Arab sexual minority women (SMW) migrants to the United States. The study aimed to (1) explore the perceptions and experiences of intersectional minority identity-related life stressors and (2) discern their impact on the mental health of first-generation Arab SMW migrants. From December …
Spoken word poetry in nursing education
Spoken word poetry offers an engaging form of critical narrative pedagogy relevant to nursing education. This pedagogy can promote social change while honing skills in active listening, empathy, critical thinking, advocacy, community-building, and consciousness raising. Research on perceptions, feasibility, and outcomes are needed
“There's a lot of conflict between your queer identity and also your Muslim or Arab identity;” A qualitative exploration of the intersectional minority stressors of U.S.-born Arab sexual minority cisg…
Centering PrEP
In direct alignment with community empowerment, we followed the ADAPT-ITT framework, phases 1-6, to iteratively adapt Centering Healthcare to suit the stated HIV Prevention and PrEP care needs of sex workers in Chicago. The study represents the first time the first time Centering has been adapted to suit the HIV prevention and PrEP care needs of sex workers. Addressing a gap in HIV prevention care for sex workers, Centering PrEP harnesses the pow…
A qualitative exploration of minority stress, mental health, and sexual health among Arab immigrant sexual minority men in the United States
Participants reported multiple forms of stressors related to their intersectional identities that affected their mental health, sexual health, and coping strategies. Many stressors were experienced before immigrating to the United States; however, several stressors persisted, and some new ones emerged after immigration. Results call for the development of mental health interventions informed by the unique experiences of Arab immigrant SMM and int…
Writing Qualitative Research Proposals Using the Pathway Project Mapping Tool
This article describes using the Qualitative Pathway Project Mapping Tool (QL-PPMT) to guide the development of rigorous qualitative research proposals. The original PPMT was initially developed to assist nursing students in planning their quantitative research proposals and has been widely used by faculty to advise student research projects. In this paper, we have adapted the 26 sections of the PPMT to provide a comprehensive checklist and road …
Experiences of Sex Workers in Chicago during Covid-19
COVID-19 exacerbated health disparities, financial insecurity, and occupational safety for many within marginalized populations. This study, which took place between 2019 and 2022, aimed to explore the way in which sex workers ( n = 36) in Chicago were impacted by COVID-19. We analyzed the transcripts of 36 individual interviews with a diverse group of sex workers using thematic analysis. Five general themes emerged regarding the detrimental impa…
A Community–Academic Partnership to Explore and Address Cancer Disparities in Southwest Chicago Arab Americans
Background: Despite the need to consider multiple sources of evidence to guide locally and culturally relevant interventions, few studies have documented the process by which evidence is integrated. Objectives: We leveraged a community–academic partnership to describe a participatory approach to integrating community and academic sources of evidence to inform cancer programming priorities in the Arab American (ArA) community in Southwest Chicago.…
A Community–Academic Partnership to Explore and Address Cancer Disparities in Southwest Chicago Arab Americans
Our participatory approach for integrating community and academic sources of evidence generated a locally relevant strategy to address cancer burden in the ArA community in Chicago. We discuss the benefits and challenges of utilizing this approach in intervention development
Family Sex Communication, Parental Acculturation, and Religiosity Among Arab American Young Adults
A Developmental Model of the Sexual Minority Closet
Experiences of stigma, mental health, and coping strategies in Lebanon among Lebanese and displaced Syrian men who have sex with men
Engaging Vulnerable Populations in Community-based Participatory Research
These lessons provide insight for future researchers to consider as they aim to develop strong and equitable community partnerships. Power sharing is required to maintain equitable community partnerships. Balancing community needs with academic expectations is essential to sustain funding. Emphasizing cultural safety and collaboration can address institutional roadblocks
Results from Project Gold
Black youth face significant disparities in HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) disease burden. Mental illness and emotion regulation are ontributors to HIV/STI risk, yet many HIV/STI prevention interventions do not address these factors. Project GOLD was a pilot randomized controlled trial of a psychoeducational HIV/STI prevention intervention designed to address the role of mental illness and emotion regulation in HIV/STI risk among hetero…
Sexual attitudes and behaviours among Arab American young adults in the USA
While the sexual behaviours of different racial and ethnic groups have been studied extensively in the USA, Arab Americans are relatively understudied. The purpose of our study is to describe sexual attitudes and behaviours of Arab American young adults, to explore gender differences and the factors associated with five primary sexual behaviours (solo and partnered masturbation, oral, vaginal and anal sex). We conducted a cross-sectional quantita…
Health Assessment of the Arab American Community in Southwest Chicago
Examining the Attitudes and Behaviors of Health-care Providers Toward LGBT Patients in Lebanon
The present cross-sectional descriptive study examined the attitudes and behaviors of health-care providers toward LGBT patients in Lebanon. Participants (N = 141) generally showed positive attitudes and behaviors toward LGBT patients. Mental health providers were significantly less likely to believe that homosexuality is a mental health disorder or that it is unnatural to identify with a gender identity other than one's biological sex when compa…
Navigating virginities
People interpret virginity in a variety of ways with different implications for sexual identity and behaviour. In Arab societies, heterosexuality and compulsory virginity before marriage are traditionally understood as ideals for a 'good' Arab girl, a 'good' Arab family and, consequently, a 'good' Arab society. In this study, our goal was to gain an in-depth understanding of the enactment of sexual agency and decision-making around virginity from…
The development of an innovative, theory-driven, psychoeducational HIV/STI prevention intervention for heterosexually active black adolescents with mental illnesses
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), continue to disproportionately affect Black adolescents. Those experiencing the psychological sequelae of mental illnesses are at increased risk. Here, we outline the development of an HIV/STI prevention intervention for heterosexually-active Black adolescents with mental illnesses. This research was guided by a psychosocial expansion of the Theory of Planned Be…
Understanding wellness and barriers to care among Iraqi refugee women in the United States
Iraqi refugees in the US experience a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases. In this article, we explore how cultural and structural realities intersect to influence utilisation of preventative healthcare and cancer screening with the aim of understanding health disparities in this population. We conducted three focus group discussions with a total of 14 Iraqi refugee women living in a northeastern US city in 2016 and analysed the qualitat…
The Contested Whiteness of Arab Identity in the United States
In response to the Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities' (NIMHD) new health disparities research framework, we call on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to acknowledge Arabs in the United States as a health disparity population. Arab classification as White leads to their cultural invisibility and perpetuates a cycle of undocumented health disparities.We provide examples of how this contested identity reinforces challenges as…
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Severe Maternal Morbidity in the United States
Developing an LGBT-affirming healthcare provider directory in Lebanon
Dear Editor,Over the past decade, Lebanon has witnessed significant developments in the area of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights. While public perceptions of LGBT individuals c
The Contested Whiteness of Arab Identity in the United States
In response to the Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities' (NIMHD) new health disparities research framework, we call on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to acknowledge Arabs in the United States as a health disparity population. Arab classification as White leads to their cultural invisibility and perpetuates a cycle of undocumented health disparities.We provide examples of how this contested identity reinforces challenges as…
We are Arabs
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Severe Maternal Morbidity in the United States
Understanding wellness and barriers to care among Iraqi refugee women in the United States
Iraqi refugees in the US experience a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases. In this article, we explore how cultural and structural realities intersect to influence utilisation of preventative healthcare and cancer screening with the aim of understanding health disparities in this population. We conducted three focus group discussions with a total of 14 Iraqi refugee women living in a northeastern US city in 2016 and analysed the qualitat…
Experiences of stigma, mental health, and coping strategies in Lebanon among Lebanese and displaced Syrian men who have sex with men
Engaging Vulnerable Populations in Community-based Participatory Research
These lessons provide insight for future researchers to consider as they aim to develop strong and equitable community partnerships. Power sharing is required to maintain equitable community partnerships. Balancing community needs with academic expectations is essential to sustain funding. Emphasizing cultural safety and collaboration can address institutional roadblocks
Examining the Attitudes and Behaviors of Health-care Providers Toward LGBT Patients in Lebanon
The present cross-sectional descriptive study examined the attitudes and behaviors of health-care providers toward LGBT patients in Lebanon. Participants (N = 141) generally showed positive attitudes and behaviors toward LGBT patients. Mental health providers were significantly less likely to believe that homosexuality is a mental health disorder or that it is unnatural to identify with a gender identity other than one's biological sex when compa…
A qualitative exploration of minority stress, mental health, and sexual health among Arab immigrant sexual minority men in the United States
Participants reported multiple forms of stressors related to their intersectional identities that affected their mental health, sexual health, and coping strategies. Many stressors were experienced before immigrating to the United States; however, several stressors persisted, and some new ones emerged after immigration. Results call for the development of mental health interventions informed by the unique experiences of Arab immigrant SMM and int…
Writing Qualitative Research Proposals Using the Pathway Project Mapping Tool
This article describes using the Qualitative Pathway Project Mapping Tool (QL-PPMT) to guide the development of rigorous qualitative research proposals. The original PPMT was initially developed to assist nursing students in planning their quantitative research proposals and has been widely used by faculty to advise student research projects. In this paper, we have adapted the 26 sections of the PPMT to provide a comprehensive checklist and road …
A Developmental Model of the Sexual Minority Closet
The development of an innovative, theory-driven, psychoeducational HIV/STI prevention intervention for heterosexually active black adolescents with mental illnesses
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), continue to disproportionately affect Black adolescents. Those experiencing the psychological sequelae of mental illnesses are at increased risk. Here, we outline the development of an HIV/STI prevention intervention for heterosexually-active Black adolescents with mental illnesses. This research was guided by a psychosocial expansion of the Theory of Planned Be…
A Community–Academic Partnership to Explore and Address Cancer Disparities in Southwest Chicago Arab Americans
Background: Despite the need to consider multiple sources of evidence to guide locally and culturally relevant interventions, few studies have documented the process by which evidence is integrated. Objectives: We leveraged a community–academic partnership to describe a participatory approach to integrating community and academic sources of evidence to inform cancer programming priorities in the Arab American (ArA) community in Southwest Chicago.…
Quality of life in people living with HIV/Aids in Lebanon
The aim of the study was to determine the impact of HIV/AIDS on the quality of life (QoL) in Lebanese adult patients living with HIV/AIDS. The study design was a cross-sectional descriptive survey, using self-administered questionnaires. A convenience sample of 41 Lebanese adults (aged 18 years and above) living with HIV/AIDS was recruited from outpatient departments at two major medical centers in Lebanon. The instruments included the Multidimen…
Beliefs Related to Breast Cancer and Breast Cancer Screening Among Lebanese Armenian Women
Our purpose of this article was to investigate women's beliefs about breast cancer, breast cancer screening, and intervention programs. We designed the study using a cross-sectional/descriptive correlation. The participants were drawn from a convenience sample (N=94). The instrument included Champion's Revised Health Belief Model Scale (CHBMS). Analysis was performed using SPSS (2005), 15.0. More than sixty-four percent (64.8%) of women surveyed …
We are Arabs
Developing an LGBT-affirming healthcare provider directory in Lebanon
Dear Editor,Over the past decade, Lebanon has witnessed significant developments in the area of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights. While public perceptions of LGBT individuals c
Navigating virginities
People interpret virginity in a variety of ways with different implications for sexual identity and behaviour. In Arab societies, heterosexuality and compulsory virginity before marriage are traditionally understood as ideals for a 'good' Arab girl, a 'good' Arab family and, consequently, a 'good' Arab society. In this study, our goal was to gain an in-depth understanding of the enactment of sexual agency and decision-making around virginity from…
The development of an innovative, theory-driven, psychoeducational HIV/STI prevention intervention for heterosexually active black adolescents with mental illnesses
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), continue to disproportionately affect Black adolescents. Those experiencing the psychological sequelae of mental illnesses are at increased risk. Here, we outline the development of an HIV/STI prevention intervention for heterosexually-active Black adolescents with mental illnesses. This research was guided by a psychosocial expansion of the Theory of Planned Be…
Understanding wellness and barriers to care among Iraqi refugee women in the United States
Iraqi refugees in the US experience a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases. In this article, we explore how cultural and structural realities intersect to influence utilisation of preventative healthcare and cancer screening with the aim of understanding health disparities in this population. We conducted three focus group discussions with a total of 14 Iraqi refugee women living in a northeastern US city in 2016 and analysed the qualitat…
The Contested Whiteness of Arab Identity in the United States
In response to the Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities' (NIMHD) new health disparities research framework, we call on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to acknowledge Arabs in the United States as a health disparity population. Arab classification as White leads to their cultural invisibility and perpetuates a cycle of undocumented health disparities.We provide examples of how this contested identity reinforces challenges as…
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Severe Maternal Morbidity in the United States
Health Assessment of the Arab American Community in Southwest Chicago
Examining the Attitudes and Behaviors of Health-care Providers Toward LGBT Patients in Lebanon
The present cross-sectional descriptive study examined the attitudes and behaviors of health-care providers toward LGBT patients in Lebanon. Participants (N = 141) generally showed positive attitudes and behaviors toward LGBT patients. Mental health providers were significantly less likely to believe that homosexuality is a mental health disorder or that it is unnatural to identify with a gender identity other than one's biological sex when compa…
Results from Project Gold
Black youth face significant disparities in HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) disease burden. Mental illness and emotion regulation are ontributors to HIV/STI risk, yet many HIV/STI prevention interventions do not address these factors. Project GOLD was a pilot randomized controlled trial of a psychoeducational HIV/STI prevention intervention designed to address the role of mental illness and emotion regulation in HIV/STI risk among hetero…
Sexual attitudes and behaviours among Arab American young adults in the USA
While the sexual behaviours of different racial and ethnic groups have been studied extensively in the USA, Arab Americans are relatively understudied. The purpose of our study is to describe sexual attitudes and behaviours of Arab American young adults, to explore gender differences and the factors associated with five primary sexual behaviours (solo and partnered masturbation, oral, vaginal and anal sex). We conducted a cross-sectional quantita…
Engaging Vulnerable Populations in Community-based Participatory Research
These lessons provide insight for future researchers to consider as they aim to develop strong and equitable community partnerships. Power sharing is required to maintain equitable community partnerships. Balancing community needs with academic expectations is essential to sustain funding. Emphasizing cultural safety and collaboration can address institutional roadblocks
Experiences of Sex Workers in Chicago during Covid-19
COVID-19 exacerbated health disparities, financial insecurity, and occupational safety for many within marginalized populations. This study, which took place between 2019 and 2022, aimed to explore the way in which sex workers ( n = 36) in Chicago were impacted by COVID-19. We analyzed the transcripts of 36 individual interviews with a diverse group of sex workers using thematic analysis. Five general themes emerged regarding the detrimental impa…
A Community–Academic Partnership to Explore and Address Cancer Disparities in Southwest Chicago Arab Americans
Background: Despite the need to consider multiple sources of evidence to guide locally and culturally relevant interventions, few studies have documented the process by which evidence is integrated. Objectives: We leveraged a community–academic partnership to describe a participatory approach to integrating community and academic sources of evidence to inform cancer programming priorities in the Arab American (ArA) community in Southwest Chicago.…
A Community–Academic Partnership to Explore and Address Cancer Disparities in Southwest Chicago Arab Americans
Our participatory approach for integrating community and academic sources of evidence generated a locally relevant strategy to address cancer burden in the ArA community in Chicago. We discuss the benefits and challenges of utilizing this approach in intervention development
Family Sex Communication, Parental Acculturation, and Religiosity Among Arab American Young Adults
A Developmental Model of the Sexual Minority Closet
Experiences of stigma, mental health, and coping strategies in Lebanon among Lebanese and displaced Syrian men who have sex with men
“There's a lot of conflict between your queer identity and also your Muslim or Arab identity;” A qualitative exploration of the intersectional minority stressors of U.S.-born Arab sexual minority cisg…
Centering PrEP
In direct alignment with community empowerment, we followed the ADAPT-ITT framework, phases 1-6, to iteratively adapt Centering Healthcare to suit the stated HIV Prevention and PrEP care needs of sex workers in Chicago. The study represents the first time the first time Centering has been adapted to suit the HIV prevention and PrEP care needs of sex workers. Addressing a gap in HIV prevention care for sex workers, Centering PrEP harnesses the pow…
A qualitative exploration of minority stress, mental health, and sexual health among Arab immigrant sexual minority men in the United States
Participants reported multiple forms of stressors related to their intersectional identities that affected their mental health, sexual health, and coping strategies. Many stressors were experienced before immigrating to the United States; however, several stressors persisted, and some new ones emerged after immigration. Results call for the development of mental health interventions informed by the unique experiences of Arab immigrant SMM and int…
Writing Qualitative Research Proposals Using the Pathway Project Mapping Tool
This article describes using the Qualitative Pathway Project Mapping Tool (QL-PPMT) to guide the development of rigorous qualitative research proposals. The original PPMT was initially developed to assist nursing students in planning their quantitative research proposals and has been widely used by faculty to advise student research projects. In this paper, we have adapted the 26 sections of the PPMT to provide a comprehensive checklist and road …
The Perspectives of Arab American Young Adults in Chicagoland Area on Intimate Partner Violence
Medicine (19 works) · Sociology (19 works) · Psychology (18 works) · Nursing (11 works) · Psychiatry (11 works) · Public health (11 works) · Mental health (10 works) · Political science (10 works) · Social Psychology (10 works) · Gender Studies (9 works)