Healthcare and Spirituality - Essay Example

Muslims and Health Care in America World Health Organization has defined health as 'an of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not the mere absence of disease or infirmity' (Kliewer, 2006, p. 18). Since the beginning of recorded history, there has been a sense that the physical body does not define a person, and all the religious faiths have always presented an image of the self as being multifaceted, involving both a body and soul. "Although the soul and body have an essential unity and together are used to describe the corruptible self, there is also a degree of separation" as one may abandon the body to pain or death, whereas the soul is believed to survive death (Kliewer, 2006, p.3). In this perspective, while exploring the meaning of providing effective healthcare to the whole person, it will derive that one of the first issues we must address is the nature of personhood.

Wellness requires dealing with the disease present in the body, which is the traditional task of medicine. But it also requires working with patients to address other aspects of the illness, their ideas, and feelings, their expectations regarding treatment and outcomes, and their ability to function. Addressing these issues requires an understanding of the emotional, spiritual, and relational concepts of a patient. Healthcare providers may have limited knowledge about the cultural backgrounds, social expectations, and work experience of immigrant populations, including their health beliefs, attitudes, and cultural lifestyles.

In the case of Muslim population it is essential to understand their religious concepts about the body, soul, lifestyle, dietary habit, and health belief for effective intervention and delivery of healthcare. According to Sufi teacher Hazrat Inayat Khan, in his book 'The Inner Life' the purpose of life is 'to not only live in the body, but to live in the heart, to live in the soul'(Kliewer, 2006, p.5). It implies that while treating a believer of Islam his/her religious belief should be considered paramount before adopting any approach of modern medicine.

Muslims receive illness with patience and prayers and consider it a test from God, as the disease is part of fate, like other life events. "According to Islamic belief maintaining a healthy body is an individual's duty and preserving life is the supreme objective of Islamic law" (A Healthcare professional's guide to Islamic Religious Practices, 2005). Caring for the sick and the weak is considered as a collective social responsibility. Healthcare providers should be well informed about the religious practices of major religious groups, and in the case of Muslims healthcare providers should have basic knowledge about their daily prayer routine, the practice of fasting during Ramadan, and dress code.

Before prayer, Muslims wash their face, hands, and feet with water, as a part of the ritual and patients may need the assistance of healthcare personnel, and that for bedridden or immobile symbolic ablution is permissible before prayer. If possible patients should be permitted to perform their daily prayer and doctors and nurses should wait to address the patient until the end of the prayer.The month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar is the month of fasting for Muslims.

Ramadan is a period of restraint and observing Ramadan means refraining from eating, drinking, and sexual activity from dawn to dusk. Sick persons can defer fasting and make up the missed days at a later time. There is no restriction for providing emergency medical care, but in non-emergency cases, medical tests and drugs are administered after sunset or end of Ramadan fast. The Koran prohibits the consumption of alcohol and pork, and preparations containing pork, Bacon, animal shortening, Gelatin, Lard, food ingredients containing alcohol should not be supplied.

Physicians should avoid prescribing medical pills coated with port-extracted gelatin, and medications containing alcohol. Islam prescribes certain parameters for relations between sexes for those who reached puberty. Hence, patients may ask for a same-sex nurse and doctor to attend them. Abortion is permitted under Islam during the first 120 days when the mother's health is in imminent danger. Blood transfusions are also permissible, though some prefer blood donations from relatives than to anonymous ones.

Transplantation is generally allowed, after consultation with the patient or his/her guardian. Non-English speaking patients should be provided the assistance of language interpreters for eliminating any communication gap. Understanding each patient's cultural background, social expectation, including their health beliefs, attitudes, cultural lifestyles, and language constraints as well as respecting individual religious sentiments will help in the effective delivery of healthcare to a diverse population in the United States.