2022 Undergraduate Research Symposium: Malaak Elhage and Caroline Cohen Analyzing the various neighborhoods in Detroit and the differing characteristics that make each one unique. Through the combination of our different topics, we hope to advance the research and recognition of Detroit's current outlook as well as the city's efforts to recover from its economic downturn due to Arab Americans being incorrectly categorized as "Caucasian" in many databases including the census, Arab Americans are overlooked and ignored in health research throughout the United States. Over the years, we have seen various organizations including ACCESS and TAKE ON HATE, spearhead initiatives to change this narrative, challenge the persistent misconception of Arab Americans, as well as advocate for systematic policy changes (The Campaign to TAKE ON HATE). Before we can analyze the absence of Arab Americans in health data, it is crucial to understand what "Arab American" refers to. ACC Library Services define Arab Americans as "those who immigrated from or are descendants of immigrants who came from the predominantly Arabic-speaking nations in Southwest Asia and North Africa." With the absence of an Arab American selection choice in health databases, individuals from 22 countries with rich, unique health factors and health history are pooled in with people with different health histories from different countries. This research will delve into the absence of Arab American data in Detroit, how race and inequality are not obvious, as depicted by Palmer Woods and Midtown data, and the problems that arise when Arab Americans are labeled by a religion and are categorized as Caucasian.

1. The Invisible Population:
Case Study on Arab Americans in Detroit
Malaak Elhage, Caroline Elizabeth Cohen, Bryan Ellis*
Irvin D. Reid Honors College

2. 1. Race and inequality is not explicit, as
depicted by Palmer Woods and
Midtown data
2. Arab Americans are invisible in Detroit
Data
3. Problems arise when Arab Americans
are labeled by a Religion
4. Problems arise when Arab Americans
are categorized as Caucasian
Abstract

3. Methodology/Experimental
Neighborhoods
• Through the database Every Census Tract in Detroit, we recorded the
neighborhood followed by the four-digit tract number.
• When multiple tracts were listed under the same neighborhood they were
grouped together.
• For the demographic data pull, the American Community Survey 2019 (5-Year
Estimate) was utilized.
• This data was pulled for three neighborhoods in Detroit:
• Brightmoor
• Midtown
• Palmer Woods

4. Neighborhood: Brightmoor
7.00%
89.70%
1.10% 0.60%
0.00% 0.70%
1.00%
Race
White Alone
Black or African American Alone
American Indian and Alaska Native Alone
Asian Alone
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Alone
Some Other Race Alone
Two or More Races
23.20%
9.20%
11.10%
8.50%
10.70%
6.70%
4.10%
4.80%
4.00%
5.20%
4.80%
4.50%
1.90% 0.60%
0.50%
0.20%
Household Income (In 2019
Inflation Adjusted Dollars)
Less than $10,000 $10,000 to $14,999
$15,000 to $19,999 $20,000 to $24,999
$25,000 to $29,999 $30,000 to $34,999
$35,000 to $39,999 $40,000 to $44,999
$45,000 to $49,999 $50,000 to $59,999
$60,000 to $74,999 $75,000 to $99,999
$100,000 to $124,999 $125,000 to $149,999
$150,000 to $199,999 $200,000 or More
10.70%
9.10%
8.60%
4.50%
8.70%
17.90%
10.80%
12.10%
8.60%
5.80%
2.50% 0.60%
Age
Under 5 Years 5 to 9 Years
10 to 14 Years 15 to 17 Years
18 to 24 Years 25 to 34 Years
35 to 44 Years 45 to 54 Years
55 to 64 Years 65 to 74 Years
75 to 84 Years 85 Years and Over

5. Neighborhood: Midtown
29.00%
11.40%
7.20%
8.70%
4.80%
3.30%
4.00%
3.80%
1.60%
6.90%
4.10%
7.60%
2.10%
3.60%
1.00%
1.20%
Household Income (In 2019
Inflation Adjusted Dollars)
Less than $10,000 $10,000 to $14,999
$15,000 to $19,999 $20,000 to $24,999
$25,000 to $29,999 $30,000 to $34,999
$35,000 to $39,999 $40,000 to $44,999
$45,000 to $49,999 $50,000 to $59,999
$60,000 to $74,999 $75,000 to $99,999
$100,000 to $124,999 $125,000 to $149,999
$150,000 to $199,999 $200,000 or More
4.50% 3.80%
3.00%
0.80%
22.80%
26.30%
13.10%
9.20%
10.00%
4.80%
1.40%
0.20%
Age
Under 5 Years 5 to 9 Years
10 to 14 Years 15 to 17 Years
18 to 24 Years 25 to 34 Years
35 to 44 Years 45 to 54 Years
55 to 64 Years 65 to 74 Years
75 to 84 Years 85 Years and Over
34.50%
44.90%
0.10%
14.10%
0.20%
1.00%
5.10%
Race
White Alone
Black or African American Alone
American Indian and Alaska Native Alone
Asian Alone
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Alone
Some Other Race Alone
Two or More Races

6. Neighborhood: Palmer Woods
2.60%
0.90% 3.40%
1.10%
1.80%
0.00%
5.10%
5.50% 0.90%
2.60%
10.30%
6.00%
11.00%
11.80%
17.10%
20.00%
Household Income (In 2019
Inflation Adjusted Dollars)
Less than $10,000 $10,000 to $14,999
$15,000 to $19,999 $20,000 to $24,999
$25,000 to $29,999 $30,000 to $34,999
$35,000 to $39,999 $40,000 to $44,999
$45,000 to $49,999 $50,000 to $59,999
$60,000 to $74,999 $75,000 to $99,999
$100,000 to $124,999 $125,000 to $149,999
$150,000 to $199,999 $200,000 or More
3.30% 2.60%
8.80%
5.30%
6.10%
6.00%
14.20%
13.40%
16.00%
12.60%
10.70%
1.10%
Age
Under 5 Years 5 to 9 Years
10 to 14 Years 15 to 17 Years
18 to 24 Years 25 to 34 Years
35 to 44 Years 45 to 54 Years
55 to 64 Years 65 to 74 Years
75 to 84 Years 85 Years and Over
18.00%
77.90%
0.00%
1.00%
1.00%
1.50%
0.50%
Race
White Alone
Black or African American Alone
American Indian and Alaska Native Alone
Asian Alone
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Alone
Some Other Race Alone
Two or More Races

7. What is
missing from
this data?

8. Arab
Americans

9. Arab Americans in Detroit
• The largest number of Arab Americans in the United States
reside in metropolitan Detroit.
• Due to the abundance of Arabs in this region, it was perceived
to be an appropriate location focus for an exploratory research
project regarding the physical and mental health of Arab
Americans
• However, there is an absence of health data about Arab
Americans
The Invisible Population:
Case Study on Arab Americans

10. The Invisible Population:
Case Study on Arab Americans
Literature Review
• Research articles often misconceptualize that all Arabs are
Muslims and vice versa
– Arab Detroit 9/11: Life in the Terror Decade used
“Arab” and “Muslim” interchangeably throughout their
report and even emphasized cultural politics.
– Arab and Muslim are not synonymous
• Cross-Border Ties and Arab American Mental Health
highlighted social determinants that impacted the mental
health of Arab American immigrants and their children
– Social determinants included language barriers,
cultural barriers, and social norms

11. The Invisible Population:
Case Study on Arab Americans
Limitations in Health Data
• Arab Americans are erroneously classified as
Caucasians in the U.S. census data
• Arab Community Center for Economic and
Social Services (ACCESS) had research bases with
articles and data regarding Arab Americans, but
their data was lacking too.
– Data focuses on Arabs across the United States and
does not include specific data on metropolitan
Detroit

12. The Invisible Population:
Case Study on Arab Americans
Conclusion
• Arab Americans are overlooked and ignored in health
research throughout the United States.
• Failing to include them or incorrectly categorizing them,
specific troubles and problems are omitted.
• Health researchers are doing a disservice to both
groups by considering them as the same population.
• Researchers must enhance their understanding of
diverse health populations, adequality evaluate the
etiology, and what implementations are necessary for
the communities to incorporate to aid their overall
health.

13. Acknowledgments
Thank you to the Irvin D. Reid Honors College and Wayne State
University Librarians who aided us in our research endeavors
for this exploratory study.
A sincere and special thank you to Dr. Ellis for allowing us to
research our interests in Detroit and for his wonderful
mentorship on the trials and tribulation of research.