Balancing religious obligations and cultural integration—female foreign Muslims’ healthcare experiences in Japan: a qualitative study

Abstract

Background

When foreign Muslim women living in Japan seek healthcare, they may encounter some issues about their Islamic obligations. Their experiences are not well studied to date. This study aimed to describe the experiences of foreign Muslim women when receiving healthcare at clinics and hospitals in Japan.

Materials and Methods

This is a qualitative study using in-depth interviews with 28 foreign Muslim women from Indonesia and Malaysia who were living in Japan at the time of the study. Data were transcribed and phenomenological analysis was performed to describe their lived experiences.

Result

Three themes emerged: (1) meeting religious obligations as a female Muslim, (2) pregnancy and childbirth-related experiences, and (3) experiences of accessing healthcare in Japan.

Conclusion

Foreign Muslim women were not sure how to balance their religious obligations and culturally integrate into the Japanese healthcare system by conveying their needs and wishes to Japanese healthcare providers. The findings of this study may be useful for Japanese healthcare providers when interacting with foreign Muslim patients.