Higher Education in Public Health as a Tool to Reduce Disparities: Findings from an Exploratory Study among the Bedouin Community in Israel
The Bedouin community is a minority disadvantaged population in Israel that suffers from a variety of health and socioeconomic disparities and limited access to higher education. The current study aimed to examine perceptions, successes, and challenges experienced by Bedouin students during their st...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/13/10/147 |
| _version_ | 1797574017699282944 |
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| author | Osnat Bashkin Avia Suisa Sharon Levi |
| author_facet | Osnat Bashkin Avia Suisa Sharon Levi |
| author_sort | Osnat Bashkin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Bedouin community is a minority disadvantaged population in Israel that suffers from a variety of health and socioeconomic disparities and limited access to higher education. The current study aimed to examine perceptions, successes, and challenges experienced by Bedouin students during their studies and to assess an internship program developed on the principles of a community-based participatory research approach to public health. In-depth interviews were conducted with 34 Bedouin students studying in the public health academic track between January and April 2023. Grounded Theory was used to analyze the data. Three main themes emerged from the analysis: (1) facilitators for the decision to pursue higher education in public health, (2) challenges and coping strategies, and (3) experiences of success. The internship program included eleven Bedouin students who conducted six community intervention projects covering a range of topics with different target Bedouin populations. Higher education is crucial for empowering minorities, producing leadership, and reducing socioeconomic and health gaps. The field internship enabled the necessary alignment between academia and public health practice. It is important to further reflect on the integration of minority groups in public health studies and its role in decreasing health inequity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:17:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-193f96c3571142d5b7e2221dba8162ef |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2174-8144 2254-9625 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:17:15Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-193f96c3571142d5b7e2221dba8162ef2023-11-19T16:17:49ZengMDPI AGEuropean Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education2174-81442254-96252023-09-0113102082209410.3390/ejihpe13100147Higher Education in Public Health as a Tool to Reduce Disparities: Findings from an Exploratory Study among the Bedouin Community in IsraelOsnat Bashkin0Avia Suisa1Sharon Levi2Department of Public Health, Ashkelon Academic College, Ben-Tzvi 12, Ashkelon 78211, IsraelDepartment of Public Health, Ashkelon Academic College, Ben-Tzvi 12, Ashkelon 78211, IsraelDepartment of Public Health, Ashkelon Academic College, Ben-Tzvi 12, Ashkelon 78211, IsraelThe Bedouin community is a minority disadvantaged population in Israel that suffers from a variety of health and socioeconomic disparities and limited access to higher education. The current study aimed to examine perceptions, successes, and challenges experienced by Bedouin students during their studies and to assess an internship program developed on the principles of a community-based participatory research approach to public health. In-depth interviews were conducted with 34 Bedouin students studying in the public health academic track between January and April 2023. Grounded Theory was used to analyze the data. Three main themes emerged from the analysis: (1) facilitators for the decision to pursue higher education in public health, (2) challenges and coping strategies, and (3) experiences of success. The internship program included eleven Bedouin students who conducted six community intervention projects covering a range of topics with different target Bedouin populations. Higher education is crucial for empowering minorities, producing leadership, and reducing socioeconomic and health gaps. The field internship enabled the necessary alignment between academia and public health practice. It is important to further reflect on the integration of minority groups in public health studies and its role in decreasing health inequity.https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/13/10/147educationpublic healthacademiacommunityminoritybedouin population |
| spellingShingle | Osnat Bashkin Avia Suisa Sharon Levi Higher Education in Public Health as a Tool to Reduce Disparities: Findings from an Exploratory Study among the Bedouin Community in Israel European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education education public health academia community minority bedouin population |
| title | Higher Education in Public Health as a Tool to Reduce Disparities: Findings from an Exploratory Study among the Bedouin Community in Israel |
| title_full | Higher Education in Public Health as a Tool to Reduce Disparities: Findings from an Exploratory Study among the Bedouin Community in Israel |
| title_fullStr | Higher Education in Public Health as a Tool to Reduce Disparities: Findings from an Exploratory Study among the Bedouin Community in Israel |
| title_full_unstemmed | Higher Education in Public Health as a Tool to Reduce Disparities: Findings from an Exploratory Study among the Bedouin Community in Israel |
| title_short | Higher Education in Public Health as a Tool to Reduce Disparities: Findings from an Exploratory Study among the Bedouin Community in Israel |
| title_sort | higher education in public health as a tool to reduce disparities findings from an exploratory study among the bedouin community in israel |
| topic | education public health academia community minority bedouin population |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/13/10/147 |
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