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Abstract

The concept of unmet needs has caught the attention of researchers within cancer care. Unmet needs refer to the discrepancies between patients’ demands and their accessibility of appropriate services and resources to meet those demands. Although several (e.g., informational, spiritual) cancer-related unmet needs are reported in the literature, only a few studies have been conducted to contextually understand unmet needs among Arab cancer patients in British Columbia, Canada. Further, current literature lacks a critical perspective to investigate structural barriers that contribute to their unmet needs. Therefore, this interpretive description study adopts an intersectional critical perspective to deeply understand challenges and unmet needs of Arab cancer patients and to demystify potential factors that shape their experiences in Canada. To achieve this goal, subjective knowledge was generated from 14 participants, including eight patients, four family members, and two healthcare providers. Data collection involved 14 primary and seven repeated semi-structured interviews. Collateral data sources (e.g., document analysis) were also incorporated in the study to enrich the analysis. The study findings comprised five interrelated themes. The first theme addresses cultural stigmas and taboos surrounding cancer within Arab communities. The second theme explores family relations and gender roles in Arab culture, and their influences on Arab patients’ cancer experiences. The third theme concerns complexities and treatment-related tensions of patient-provider interactions. The fourth theme extends beyond interpersonal dynamics to focus on challenges and unmet needs when patients accessed the Canadian cancer sector. The final theme delves into the precarity of life, illustrating how socioeconomic insecurities intersected with patients’ identities to intensify their vulnerabilities. The study findings carry several implications and recommendations to: 1) enhance the awareness of nurses and healthcare providers of Arab culture and how to interact with Arab patients in a culturally safe manner, 2) incorporate equitable and culturally safe cancer care in the infrastructure of institutions and governmental organizations, and 3) foster engagement and collaboration of Arab leaders with health institutions to facilitate the accommodation of Arab cancer patients’ needs. I hope that this study will help in the provision of providing equitable and culturally safe care to Arab cancer patients in Canada.