Religion And Its Effect on Medical Decisions - Essay Example

Religion and its Effect on Medical Decisions Medical decisions are greatly impacted by religious beliefs. Health care professionals often have to take religious considerations when making medical decisions, especially when dealing with issues such as life, death, abortion, etc. Religious teachings still dominate the notions of health and goodness which is why many individuals, apart from health care professionals, may take decisions based on faith. Treatment is one domain of medical science which has been greatly affected by religion and spirituality. Many branches of medicine have been derived and influenced by religious teachings and ancient traditions. An example of this includes that of traditional Chinese medicine centering about Qi, which is usually linked with Buddhism and a certain level of meditation-like spirituality. Harold Koenig is a renowned psychiatrist working at the Duke University who has excelled in providing religious and spiritual views to the audience. He has explored how patient health and wellness is connected with their beliefs in religion and spirituality, and how physicians are concerned about crossing the ethical boundaries demarcated by the patient’s religion (1194). There are many religious and holy books that contain references to healthy living and explicitly lay down prohibited food items, drinks, and so on. Religion is therefore a leading consideration for health care workers when they make medical decisions. Many patients identify themselves as being spiritual if not religious and it is important for the health care workers to respect the spirituality and religiosity of their patients. But while medical decisions are greatly impacted by religion, in many cases, it may also conflict with the medical care. Nevertheless, religion plays a major role in influencing medical decisions although some religious beliefs may not be scientifically sound. Because religion is an impactful force in the lives of many individuals, it undoubtedly impacts medical decisions. Health issues such as life, death, abortion, chemotherapy, etc have attracted religious arguments. At most instances, medical decisions are taken in accordance with the religious beliefs in order to avoid moral clashes. However, at many places, religion and medical decisions have conflicted to culminate in inhibited health care. The case of Adam Lovell is an example of when his parents let their religious convictions to risk the life of their two and a half year old son (Novotny, Perkin, and Orr). In the hope of a miracle, the Lovells kept delaying the treatment of their son, Adam who was suffering from meningococcus. Purple spots appeared on his hands, feet, and trunk, necessitating a debridement or amputation in order to prevent life threatening sepsis. Although the consent was initially granted to the doctors, the Lovells later revoked the consent insisting that religious rituals and Bible reading would allow God to heal Adam’s dead tissues. This continued while the Adam’s condition worsened as he developed infectious symptoms indicating deteriorated health. The case study points out the dilemma dealing with the degree to which religion should be allowed freedom to dominate the lives of individuals. While physicians did what they could to insist consent for debridement and amputation, the physicians’ decision was dependent upon the parents’ consent, which was influenced by their sense of insensible religiosity. Life and death has been perhaps a very slippery issue that has spurred debates. Religious outlook on health issues are important influencers of medical decisions as physicians do not wish to offend patients having varying beliefs. Medical cases that involve the course of treatment are often hit by the dilemma differing across religiously denominational groups. Decision making in such cases varies based on the religious and ideological orientation of the families of the patient. This is particularly true for terminally ill patients where one’s identification to a particular religious group affects their preferences of treatment. As Sharp, Carr, and MacDonald found out, individuals belonging to fundamentalist groups, either Catholic or Protestant, are more likely to prefer life-extending treatment for the patient (275). An individual’s beliefs regarding subjects such as quality of life, health and wellness are greatly impacted by their religion. Social behaviors and attitudes are greatly determined and affected by one’s religious affiliation. The link between religion and treatment preference has shown the connection between the two. With this established, medical decisions also, although not always, derive themselves from the religiosity of people whose attachment to religion cannot be ignored. Scholars studying the degree of religious authority and its impact on medical decisions have found out that personal attitudes are greatly affected by religion (Sharp, Carr, and MacDonald, 279). Because religion is an influential factor in human lives, it is undoubtedly a major determinant of medical decisions as physicians try to avoid conflicts. The interaction between a doctor and patient is unavoidable and the choices they make can take or give lives. With the emergence of new legalities surrounding the healthcare industry, informed consent is the norm which plays a vital role in medical decision making by the doctors. In the previous case, the faith-based decisions by the patient’s parents could not be rejected as the consent had been revoked. Medical decisions, particularly in the time of informed consent, have become quite tricky as many factors have come into play when considering patient autonomy. Who has the autonomy is an arguable question, especially in the case of minors and when patients are unable or even refuse to make choices for themselves. In any case, any particular religions notion regarding health and wellness play a great role in shaping medical decisions, especially those that involve issues such as death, life, euthanasia, abortion, and terminal illnesses. Several factors surround medical decisions as laws provide the patient or any individual with freedom of choice. Although religion does possess a great amount of freedom in influencing medical decisions, ethical and moral considerations will always continue to perplex decision makers. Schneider talks about the possibility of allowing patients a greater control over decision making and says that medical decisions are usually difficult to make and may persuade individuals to make choice they would not otherwise (xii). Because religion plays a central role in the lives of most citizens, it is not surprising that medical decisions are made, to a great extent, on the basis of religion. Although individual autonomy over medical decisions has been realized, religion does conflict with certain concepts of life and death. Such a notion is particularly apparent in issues such as abortion where most religious debates advocate a pro life attitude while the other party promotes a pro choice side. It is clear that religion has a different take on issues of life and death. In the case of abortion, even a non-live human fetus developing the womb is considered to be potential human life where abortion equates to murder. Here religion seems to have taken a pro life stance thereby conflicting with human choice and freedom. To live or not to live has always been a difficult discussion with arguments flooding from both sides however clinicians are constantly facing with difficult decisions that involve valuable lives. To a great extent, autonomy, as granted to religion or the patient, is greatly affected by the physician’s decision. The side to which the physician gives more weight to is the side which influences the medical decision more. A paper from Lawrence and Curlin suggests that religious doctors are more likely to give less consideration to individual expressed views by the patient as compared to their other counterparts who take into account the patient autonomy. Although doctors feel that patient autonomy is an important consideration, they do not think other ethical considerations have been completely disregarded. Therefore, apart from religion, other factors also come into play although some are weighted out based on preference during decision making. Another issue which has surrounded religious conflict and debate has been that regarding cancer and its treatment. Chemotherapy is the known treatment procedure which involves some serious decision making by the doctors. When an individual is diagnosed with cancer, the treatment decision which follows involves the taking of difficult choices. Medical decision making for serious diseases such as cancer are influenced by several factors, however, religion is the most misunderstood one. The importance of one’s religious beliefs and faith is considered to be a very critical factor when dealing with treatment decisions however this varies along the line of individuals that are involved, ranging from doctors to patients and to all the nursing staff and caregivers (Silvestri et al 1179). However, many a times, religion is not the most important factor when faced with treatment decision making around cancerous diseases. The research by Silvestri, et al showed that although religion and God are important considerations, they are not the leading factors when deciding upon the treatment method. In particular, physicians and others considered the recommendations from oncologists to be the most important factor which determined the life saving treatment procedure. In cases of cancer as a serious disease, physicians are more likely to consider clinical recommendations rather than taking into account any level of religiosity. On the other hand, patients may prioritize God and religion more as they hope to rid themselves of their illness. It is common to see an ill patient turn to religion as their health is threatened although physicians may consider medical recommendations more while making decisions. Life sustenance in cases of severe illness is assumed to be among individuals who are more religious than their counterparts. Religiousness is understood as a majorly life sustaining, prolonging and as generally pro life however not all forms of religiousness may include the same level of eagerness for the sustenance of life in cases of illness. Although many religious patients may opt for treatment for the extension of life than avoiding it, this is not true for all kinds of religiousness (Ness et al, 545). A patient’s willingness to go for life extending treatment may not always be the result of one’s religious inclination although this is mostly true. Nevertheless, religion may prove to be a central factor involving severely ill patients as they try to seek comfort through their attachment with religion, particularly those patients who are old. Conclusion In conclusion, medical decisions are impacted by various factors many of which are influenced by religion and spirituality. Also, the religious orientation and inclination of patients and their families are central factors that dominate the level of religiosity impacting medical decisions. The notion that religious individuals tend to go for life extending treatments is not generally true as willingness varies from person to person. Also, for serious illnesses and diseases such as cancer, the health care professionals may not consider religion as a priority for decision making as opposed to life saving scenarios that involve a greater focus on clinical recommendations than religion. That said, religion still dominates medical decisions as many patients are more religiously inclined. Works Cited Koenig, Harold G. “Religion, Spirituality, and Medicine: Research Findings and Implications for Clinical Practice”. Southern Medical Journal 97.12 (2004): 1194-200. Print. Lawrence, Ryan E, and Farr A Curlin. “Autonomy, Religion and Clinical Decisions: Findings from a National Physician Survey”. Journal of Medical Ethics 35.4 (2009): 214-18. Print. Novotny, William E, Ronald M Perkin, and Robert Orr. “Faith-Based Decisions: Parents Who Refuse Appropriate Care for Their Children”. Virtual Mentor 5.8 (2003): n. pag. Print. Schneider, Carl. The Practice of Autonomy. 1st ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. Print. Sharp, Shane, Deborah Carr, and Cameron Macdonald. “Religion and End-Of-Life Treatment Preferences: Assessing the Effects of Religious Denomination and Beliefs”. Social Forces 91.1 (2012): 275-98. Print. Silvestri, Gerard A et al. “Importance of Faith on Medical Decisions Regarding Cancer Care”. Journal of Clinical Oncology 21.7 (2003): 1379-82. Print. Van Ness, Peter H et al. “Religion, Risk, and Medical Decision Making at The End of Life”. Journal of Aging and Health 20.5 (2008): 545-59. Print. Read More