Editor's note: In The WellNest Watch, master's degree candidates in the public health program at EMU's School of Health Promotion and Human Performance explore news, research and standard practices in the field of health and wellness.
Kegan Tulloch is a graduate assistant in EMU's Office of Health Promotion.
Islamophobia is often framed as a political debate or a matter of individual prejudice, but that framing misses the full picture. When discrimination becomes routine, when fear follows people into classrooms, workplaces, clinics and public spaces, it stops being just a social issue and becomes a public health one.
Islamophobia affects how safe people feel, how connected they are to their communities and how their minds and bodies respond to chronic stress. Ignoring these impacts does not make them disappear; it only allows the harm to continue unchecked. Public health considers the conditions that allow people to thrive. That includes more than access to healthcare or healthy food; it includes a sense of belonging, safety and well-being.
Islamophobia directly threatens these conditions. For some Muslims, especially those who are visibly Muslim, everyday life may involve navigating stereotypes, microaggressions and the possibility of hostility. Over time, these experiences accumulate. Constant vigilance, wondering if a comment, look, or policy is rooted in bias, creates chronic stress that chips away at mental health and overall well-being.
Chronic stress is not just an emotional experience; it has real physiological consequences. Living with ongoing discrimination can contribute to anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances and burnout. It can also make people avoid certain spaces altogether, whether that means withdrawing socially, hesitating to seek medical or mental health care, or disengaging from school and work. From a public health perspective, these outcomes matter because they shape population-level patterns of health inequity. When one group is consistently exposed to stressors tied to identity-based discrimination, disparities are not accidental; they are predictable.
Belonging is another critical, yet often overlooked, determinant of health. Feeling unwelcome or unsafe in one’s own community can be deeply destabilizing. Islamophobia sends a clear message to Muslims that they are viewed with suspicion, as outsiders or as threats. That message undermines social cohesion and weakens trust, not only between individuals, but between communities and institutions. Schools, workplaces and healthcare systems cannot effectively support well-being when people fear judgment or harm simply for who they are.
At the same time, it is important to recognize resilience. Islam itself can function as a powerful protective factor against the harms of discrimination. Strong religious practices, shared values and close community networks can provide Muslims with meaning, coping tools and social support. Prayer, spiritual reflection and communal gatherings can offer grounding and comfort in the face of hostility. Mosques and community organizations frequently serve as spaces where people feel affirmed, understood, and safe; conditions that are essential for mental health. However, resilience should never be used to minimize harm. The fact that Muslim communities demonstrate strength in the face of Islamophobia does not justify the conditions that require such strength.
Protective factors can reduce risk, but they do not eliminate it. Public health does not ask marginalized groups to simply “cope better” with discrimination; it asks why the discrimination exists in the first place and how systems can change to prevent harm. Addressing Islamophobia as a public health issue requires a shift in perspective. It means recognizing discrimination as a social exposure that affects mental and physical health over time. It also means holding institutions accountable. Schools should foster inclusive environments where Muslim students feel seen and protected. Healthcare systems should move beyond surface-level cultural awareness toward genuine respect and equity in care. Media and political leaders should understand that rhetoric has consequences, shaping not just public opinion but lived experiences and health outcomes.
Ultimately, confronting Islamophobia is about more than tolerance; it is about health, equity and collective well-being. A society that allows entire communities to live under the weight of fear and exclusion cannot claim to prioritize public health. If we are serious about preventing harm rather than simply treating its outcomes, then Islamophobia must be named, challenged and addressed as the public health issue that it is.
Contributors to The WellNest Watch health column are Kegan Tulloch and Ebrima Jobarteh, graduate assistants in the Office of Health Promotions, and Shafaat Ali Choyon and Nathaniel King, graduate hall directors in the Department of Residential Life. All four are master's degree candidates in the Public Health Program from the School of Public Health Promotion and Human Performance at Eastern Michigan University.
