Читать книгу Health Psychology - Michael Murray - Страница 91

Islam is derived from the Arabic words istaslama, which means surrender, and salam, which means peace. As such, Islam, in its religious sense, means submission and obedience to the will of God. During sickness, Muslims are expected to seek Allah’s mercy and help through prayer. They also believe that death is an inevitable part of life and that the whole creation belongs to Allah and to him is the final return.

There are specific health-related practices which Muslims follow. Health care providers need to have an understanding of general Islamic beliefs and practices to enable them to provide quality care for Muslim patients. For example, health care professionals need to be aware of the need for modesty, privacy, the appropriate use of touch and clothing, dietary requirements (e.g., Halal and fasting during Ramadan), the availability of prayer rooms, interactions with opposite-sex patients, the use of medications, shared decision-making and its impact on the family (Rassool, 2000; Mataoui and Sheldon, 2016).

Awareness and respect for spiritual and cultural values are important in clinical practice since these have implications on patients’ choices and engagement in health care. For example, it is Islamic practice to visit the sick. Culturally sensitive health care establishments find ways that enable such visits from families, friends and other well-wishers. Health care professionals need to be aware that there is Islamic guidance on end-of-life care and funeral arrangements. When treating migrant Muslims from non-English speaking countries, health care providers need to consider health literacy and linguistic barriers, which may interfere with the patient’s comprehension and ability to implement health advice when given in their non-native language (see Chapter 14).