PhD in Rehabilitation Science student Reham Abuatiq, has been awarded the 2024 Gatzert Child Welfare Fellowship. This fellowship will fully fund Reham for one quarter while she writes her dissertation. She plans to defend her dissertation and graduate at the end of the fall quarter.
Reham's dissertation explores the healthcare transition of Middle Eastern youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Using both qualitative and participatory methods, her research aims to:
- Understand the current healthcare access and transition landscape from the perspectives of Middle Eastern young adults with disabilities and their caregivers.
- Explore the relationships between healthcare access, transition, and the quality of life for Middle Eastern young adults with disabilities.
- Co-create culturally appropriate healthcare transition strategies and resources in the Arabic language.
Reham collaborates with Open Doors for Multicultural Families (ODMF), a community partner that provides grassroots services and support for immigrants and refugees in Washington living with disabilities. During the fall quarter, ODMF will host a photo exhibition showcasing the photo stories completed by the families participating in Reham's study.
More information about Reham’s research is available on the CREATE website.