'Taking care of your mind': participatory research to identify priorities and co-design wellbeing resources with the Muslim community following COVID-19.
10 affiliations
- 1Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia. [email protected].
- 2Monash School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 509 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia. [email protected].
- 3Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, 207 Bouverie St, Carlton, VIC, 3053, Australia. [email protected].
- 4Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
- 5Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, 207 Bouverie St, Carlton, VIC, 3053, Australia.
- 6Australian Multicultural Foundation, Level 1/185 Faraday St, Carlton, VIC, 3053, Australia.
- 7Islamic Museum of Australia, 15a Anderson Road, Thornbury, VIC, 3071, Australia.
- 8Your Community Health, 125 Blake Street, East Reservoir, Melbourne, VIC, 3073, Australia.
- 9Monash School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 509 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
- 10Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Hospital, 55 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
Abstract
Background
Throughout COVID-19, public health responses lacked engagement with multicultural communities. Collaborating with multicultural communities is essential to understand priorities and create culturally appropriate solutions. Our participatory study aimed to identify the public health priorities of the Muslim community, explore potential solutions, develop resources and monitor their uptake.Methods
In 2022, we formed a research-community partnership with the Burnet Institute, Islamic Museum of Australia, Australian Multicultural Foundation and Your Community Health. Together, we co-developed a cross-sectional survey to identify the priorities of a Muslim community in Melbourne, Australia following the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants (n = 57) were recruited through the networks of three bilingual project officers and Preston Mosque. Participants reported what they needed to feel safe, supported and healthy, ranking 15 items. Through open-ended responses, participants could elaborate on their support needs. We then conducted two participatory and interactive workshops with eight Muslim community members to explore potential solutions to identified needs. Data were synthesised in Miro and validated through partner meetings. Together, we drew on results to develop a series of resources. We monitored resource uptake through partner interviews (n = 4), a document review and descriptive statistics.Results
Survey results indicated that participants most needed jobs (60%), mental health support (43%) and education (40%) to feel safe, supported and healthy after the pandemic. In open-text responses, participants identified they wanted improved access to psychological wellbeing support for themselves, their families and communities. Workshop participants recommended encouraging mental health conversations, providing support through mosques and raising awareness about mental health support online. Subsequently, we co-designed a facilitator guide to support Muslim community members to lead conversations about mental health. We also developed five videos to promote mental health awareness among the Muslim community. We identified that partners used the facilitator guide in three community workshops, referred 20 people to Mental Health First Aid Training and began offering counselling from Preston Mosque. Videos received > 17,000 YouTube views.Conclusion
Our findings identified the importance of accessible mental health support among the Muslim community following COVID-19. Our partnership enabled the co-design and sharing of culturally safe mental health resources through preferred community channels.Trial registration
Not applicable.
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BibTeX
@article{douglass2026taking,
title = {{'Taking care of your mind': participatory research to identify priorities and co-design wellbeing resources with the Muslim community following COVID-19.}},
author = {Caitlin H Douglass and Ana L Orozco and Remzi Unal and Sherene Hassan and Durre Shahwar and Cate Grindlay and Samsam Geereh and Vivienne Mah and Margaret Hellard and Amy Kirwan and Alisa Pedrana},
journal = {BMC public health},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s12889-026-28816-w},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958217},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - 'Taking care of your mind': participatory research to identify priorities and co-design wellbeing resources with the Muslim community following COVID-19.
AU - Caitlin H Douglass
AU - Ana L Orozco
AU - Remzi Unal
AU - Sherene Hassan
AU - Durre Shahwar
AU - Cate Grindlay
AU - Samsam Geereh
AU - Vivienne Mah
AU - Margaret Hellard
AU - Amy Kirwan
AU - Alisa Pedrana
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/04
JO - BMC public health
DO - 10.1186/s12889-026-28816-w
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958217
AB - Background Throughout COVID-19, public health responses lacked engagement with multicultural communities. Collaborating with multicultural communities is essential to understand priorities and create culturally appropriate solutions. Our participatory study aimed to identify the public health priorities of the Muslim community, explore potential solutions, develop resources and monitor their uptake.Methods In 2022, we formed a research-community partnership with the Burnet Institute, Islamic Museum of Australia, Australian Multicultural Foundation and Your Community Health. Together, we co-developed a cross-sectional survey to identify the priorities of a Muslim community in Melbourne, Australia following the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants (n = 57) were recruited through the networks of three bilingual project officers and Preston Mosque. Participants reported what they needed to feel safe, supported and healthy, ranking 15 items. Through open-ended responses, participants could elaborate on their support needs. We then conducted two participatory and interactive workshops with eight Muslim community members to explore potential solutions to identified needs. Data were synthesised in Miro and validated through partner meetings. Together, we drew on results to develop a series of resources. We monitored resource uptake through partner interviews (n = 4), a document review and descriptive statistics.Results Survey results indicated that participants most needed jobs (60%), mental health support (43%) and education (40%) to feel safe, supported and healthy after the pandemic. In open-text responses, participants identified they wanted improved access to psychological wellbeing support for themselves, their families and communities. Workshop participants recommended encouraging mental health conversations, providing support through mosques and raising awareness about mental health support online. Subsequently, we co-designed a facilitator guide to support Muslim community members to lead conversations about mental health. We also developed five videos to promote mental health awareness among the Muslim community. We identified that partners used the facilitator guide in three community workshops, referred 20 people to Mental Health First Aid Training and began offering counselling from Preston Mosque. Videos received > 17,000 YouTube views.Conclusion Our findings identified the importance of accessible mental health support among the Muslim community following COVID-19. Our partnership enabled the co-design and sharing of culturally safe mental health resources through preferred community channels.Trial registration Not applicable.
SN - 1471-2458
ER -