The current political instability in the regions of NorthAfrica and the Middle East threaten the safety of disenfranchised, vulnerablepopulations and the knowledge of health determinants in these people groups.Gender roles and cultural norms of the region place women in a marginalizedposition resulting in isolation and disconnection from society and theinformation or resources regarding healthcare. The women of the Zabbaleencommunity are a unique population in Cairo, Egypt with multiple factors knownto contribute to inequities in healthcare. This study reveals barriers thataffect healthcare related to issues of cultural behaviors and socialdeterminants of health for the Zabbaleen women. The results provide insightinto the perceived and actual barriers to health the women experience. Thisstudy reveals information critical to developing interventions in healthcaredelivery and services during tumultuous times and future peaceful times. Aqualitative constructivist design with personal interviews, participatoryobservation and field notes was used for this study. Internal barriers ofcultural norms of gender, religion and isolation alongside external factors ofenvironment, unique economic conditions and health resources shape the women’s experiences.
