A systematic review on factors influencing Middle Eastern women’s utilization of healthcare services: The promise of mHealth

Objectives: The 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda stresses a feminist approach for healthcare services. Cultural and religious influences impact utilization of healthcare services by Muslim women within the Middle East, posing unique challenges. This paper aimed to investigate the factors influencing Middle Eastern women’s utilization of healthcare services within the region. Methods: In the year 2024, a systematic review was conducted. PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched for this purpose. The quality of the included articles was assessed using the Accuracy, Coverage, Objectivity, Date, Significance (ACODS) checklist. Subsequently, the Joffe method of thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data obtained from the review. Results: A final selection comprising 59 studies was made for inclusion in the research. The studies demonstrated a high level of quality, and the risk of bias within them was deemed acceptable. The thematic analysis revealed seven principal themes, which encompassed Demographic Factors, Level of Education and Awareness, Sources of Information, Risk Factors, Personal Factors, Level of Service Access and Quality, and Organizational Factors. Conclusions: This study highlighted key factors influencing women’s utilization of healthcare in the Middle East and potentially the healthcare systems with a large number of Middle Eastern female immigrants around the globe: educational factors such as awareness campaigns and patient education, and personal barriers like fear and cultural norms. Moreover, Telehealth, particularly mHealth, was suggested to enhance women’s participation and utilization of healthcare services. Further research is needed to explore this assertion with greater precision.