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Dr Sharifa Battashi will present: Participatory Research into the minoritised experiences of Multiple Sclerosis care
Seminar details
Title: Participatory Research into the minoritised experiences of Multiple Sclerosis care
Speaker: Dr Sharifa Battashi
Date: 16th July 2025
Time: 13:00-14.00 UK time
Location: Zoom (Details will be emailed to attendees 2 days before the seminar)
Please register via our Eventbrite page.
Abstract
This talk explores the healthcare experiences of Black British and South Asian people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) in London, Leeds, and Bradford — groups whose voices are often underrepresented in MS research. Using a participatory approach, we worked with 6 peer researchers from these communities to conduct interviews and focus groups with 33 people with MS about their access to MS care, support services, and information. The study findings show that healthcare experiences of Black British and South Asian people with MS are shaped by intersecting social factors that contribute to structural inequities. Barriers include postcode-based disparities in care, limited access to reliable information due to cultural myths and professional misconceptions, and gendered expectations around coping. The findings also revealed that people with MS from these social groups rely on community support, faith, and alternative care networks to fill gaps left by formal healthcare services.
Biography
Dr Sharifa Battashi is a Senior Research Assistant in Participatory Research at the Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London. With a background in social science, her research focuses on understanding how ethnically minoritised groups living with Multiple Sclerosis experience access to healthcare. Sharifa's interests include qualitative research methods, participatory approaches, and addressing health inequalities.
