Cultural Preference in Healthcare
Culture has a significant influence on health preferences in that it affects individual perception of illness, health, death, and beliefs about diseases. According to Rassool (2015) understanding culture also affects approaches taken to health promotion, experiences of pain and illness, and the places where they seek treatment alongside treatment preferences. In the Muslim culture, health is often considered as a state of psychological, physical, social, and spiritual well-being and a great gift from God that should be cared for. According to Islamic teachings, pain, illness, and suffering is a test from God and a trial through which an individual’s sins get cleansed. In order to deliver quality healthcare, health practitioners must endeavor to understand the cultural and spiritual values of the Islamic culture alongside inherent differences in relation to ideas of modesty, restrictions on alcohol consumption, and privacy.
Gender Roles
The Muslim faith often encompasses various ethnicities who hold diverse views with regard to healthcare, illness, and gender roles. For instance, beards have a religious symbol, an aspect that causes men to avoid shaving unless when it is considered essential. When it is extremely necessary, female health practitioners are prohibited from undertaking such practices and should allow a male to shave the area. This provision often poses a significant challenge to most healthcare providers both, Muslims and non-Muslim providers. As a result of the position and diminished value of women in the Islamic culture, their participation in the provision of healthcare is often affected by abusive hierarchical management structures, gender-based cultural restraints, and disrespect and condescending from male counterparts (Stephenson & Hebeshy, 2018). In the Islamic culture, female health providers are often faced with barriers to service provision in that patients often replicate the gender ideologies and norms that are adopted in the larger society. Since cultural practices in this religion often expect women to bear and take care of children, their need to provide healthcare services is often restricted by marginalization an aspect that causes them to become disadvantaged by the male-dominated beliefs in their area of operation. As Rassool (2015) explains, most social institutions and Islamic oriented often produce gendered outcomes that cause constraints thus disadvantaging women-service providers as opposed to male providers who have the freedom to exercise their health practices. According to Stephenson & Hebeshy (2018), the healthcare providers who interact with Muslims should adhere to specific guidelines such as avoidance of physical contact and eye contact between the patient and a health worker of the opposite sex. For instance, male practitioners are often required to communicate with the patient through family or spouse. Additionally, health providers should consult the patient before contacting their spouse or partner. Physical exam should also be undertaken by practitioners of the same sex or ensure the availability of a third party when the test is being carried out by an individual of the opposite sex. In the event that these conditions cannot be fulfilled, the patient should be assured of the need for the practice and ensure the minimization of exposure by expediting the process.
Religion
Health practitioners should endeavor to understand Islamic beliefs in order to deliver appropriate health care in a manner that is culturally sensitive. This can be achieved through an in-depth understanding of various religious implications, the effect of traditional medicine, family perspectives, illness, diet, health, and privacy-related concerns. It is only with this understanding that health practitioners can manage to provide care that is culturally competent. During the Holy Month of Ramadhan, they should execute their practice with respect and utmost professionalism. According to Rassool (2015), healthcare practitioners who understand Islamic religious practices stand in a better position to provide Muslim patients with individualized and appropriate care. Hospitals should also be advised to avoid making assumptions on the needs and demands of Muslim families and patients and ensure the recruitment of staff that is knowledgeable of Muslim practices and religious tenets. According to the Islamic teachings, Muslims patients are likely to get visited since it is a religious obligation to visit the sick. As such, the practitioners should show sensitivity towards the visitors without compromising the patient’s care. According to this religion, pain and suffering is a test from God and illness can be achieved through meditation, prayers, and patience. Religious and spiritual intervention during sickness is often considered an effective means to regaining health; psychologically, spiritually, socially, and physically. According to Savelkoul, Köse, Ghaly, Hoffer, & Tjan (2017), it is a religious duty for a Muslim to take care of their health; some often consider spiritual values an essential component of their health. As such, most patients are likely to prioritize their spiritual needs over their physical needs in that religious beliefs tend to influence their healing notions.
Diet
Islamic faith prohibits the consumption of alcohol and animal products that are not halal including pork, animal fats, and pork by-products. As a result of their prayer times, patients are likely to refuse to consume hospital foods, which would necessitate food from their homes. During Ramadhan, hospitals should understand the fasting calendar which often means that no liquids or foods should be ingested between the fasting period. Although there is an exception for the sick, breastfeeding, pregnant, and elderly from this provision, most patients are likely to insist on fasting due to the spiritual significance of this practice to the believers. The patients who insist to fast should be monitored closely to prevent the likelihood of further health problems, particularly for patients suffering from diabetes, among other terminal diseases. According to Mataoui & Sheldon (2016), patients should be provided with fasting education to avoid the likelihood of complications such as post-evening and pre-dawn meals such as carbohydrates that can provide the required energy throughout the day. Other foods that should be provided include fruits, vegetables, seafood, and fruits. In addition to the provision of fasting education, health practitioners should endeavor to advise them to refrain from the need to refrain from observing full-fasting (Rassool, 2015). Alternatively, practitioners should provide fasting patients with supplements and help them to regulate their blood sugar levels appropriately.
Although Islamic practices were often ignored in the past, organizations have become aware of dietary rules and fasting needs. In the future, healthcare facilities should promote sensitive training such as to educate workers on the Islamic customs and traditions that help to maintain sensitivity in the preparation of food.
Death and Dying
In Islamic culture, an autopsy is required only when it is being done for medical or legal reasons. They believe that death is a part of life and it is in the plan of God. As such, they prohibit euthanasia in the belief that suffering is part of God’s plan. According to Savelkoul et al., (2017), the believers often engage in prayer in a bid to confess sins and beg forgiveness before death. Upon the death of a Muslim believer, religion permits the donation of organs which should be done with the permission of close family members. Prayers should be conducted approximately 72 hours by a male for the deceased after which signing of the death certificate should occur.
Medications
In the provision of medication, health practitioners should understand that gelatin, alcoholic, and pork-based products are forbidden. Instead, healthcare providers should provide gelatin-free products such as halal gelatin tablets and antibiotics liquids. Magnesium stearate that has been derived from animal products should also be avoided. In circumstances when alternative products are unavailable, the practitioners should issue the drug and inform the patients of its use. Healthcare facilities should also understand that some fasting Muslims may fail to adhere to the treatment; in such conditions, professionals should explain the need to adhere to the medication in a respectful and informed manner to enable them to make informed decisions only. Other medications that can be provided during this period include inhalers, nasal sprays, eye drops, insulin injections, dental care, immunizations, and nebulizer treatments. However, treatments including oral medications, IV fluids, and blood donation should be avoided during this period. Ill patients who require treatment to enhance their health or in life-threatening situations should break the fast.
Conclusion
Religious and cultural backgrounds often influence individual attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors towards illness, health, and the provision of healthcare, which may present obstacles to effective treatment. Healthcare professionals should possess cultural competency to understand the best way to provide healthcare in relation to medication, diet, religion, and gender roles. Failure to adhere to these provisions may introduce barriers to effective treatment including cultural practices that may increase the risk of further complications.
References
Mataoui, F. Z., & Sheldon, L. K. (2016). Providing culturally appropriate care to American Muslims with cancer. Clinical journal of oncology nursing, 20(1), 11-12.doi: 10.1188/16.CJON.11-12
Rassool, G. H. (2015). Cultural competence in nursing Muslim patients. Nursing Times, 111(14), 12-15.Retrieved from https://europepmc.org/article/med/26182584
Savelkoul, C., Köse, A., Ghaly, M., Hoffer, C. B. M., & Tjan, D. H. T. (2017). Culturally sensitive communication in end-of-life care: the care for Muslim patients as an example. Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde, 161, D1410-D1410. https://europepmc.org/article/med/28745252
Stephenson, P., & Hebeshy, M. (2018). The delivery of end-of-life spiritual care to Muslim patients by non-Muslim providers. Medsurg Nursing, 27(5), 281-285.