Study Calls For Sensitivity In Muslims' Medical Care

Whitney Jones
Religion News Service

(RNS) U.S. doctors need to take religious values into account while providing health care, especially when the patient is a Muslim woman, according to a new study in the Journal of Medical Ethics.

Dr. Aasim Padela, the study's lead author and a professor of emergency medicine at the University of Michigan, assessed the obstacles Muslims face because of Islam's call for modesty and limited interaction with those of the opposite sex.

"Health care providers need a better understanding of how religious values and ethics can affect the care a patient seeks and then receives," he said in a statement. "When we accommodate our patients' religious practices, we provide them with a more holistic quality of
care."

Revealing hospital gowns, doctors of the opposite sex and secluded examination rooms with closed doors call all make Muslim women feel uneasy, according to the study.

To illustrate this point, Padela and Pablo Rodriguez del Pozo, the paper's co-author and public health professor at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, imagine a scenario between a male doctor and a woman wearing a hijab who has an injured leg. When the doctor introduces
himself, the woman asks, "Are there any woman doctors around?"

The highest preference within Islamic bioethics is a Muslim physician of the same sex, followed by a non-Muslim of the same sex, then a Muslim of the opposite sex. The least preferable choice is a non-Muslim physician of the opposite sex.

Padela suggests that physicians should acknowledge patients who seem uncomfortable, and ask if there is a way to relieve their stress.

In the hypothetical situation in the paper, the physician resolves the problem by discussing why the woman wants to see another doctor, and he calls in a female practitioner who provides the woman with the health care she needs.

Padela said physicians not only need to be aware of religious values that have an impact on health care services, but also must be willing to change their practicing styles to serve the needs of their patients.

"The first step to accommodating a patient's religious values and practices is to understand what they are and how deeply rooted they are in the patient's belief system," he said.

Comments

[AZAFVET]

03:17 PM on 11/20/2010

I can understand the concern for allowing for religious beliefs. We all pretty much have the choice of primary care doctors but emergency rooms are quite a different situation. Believe me, if I thought that a physician saw me as anything other than an individual with a medical problem I too would have second thoughts about treatment. On the other hand, I am a Veteran with VA healthcare. My primary physician is a gorgeous single female of Iranian decent. I wish she saw me as someone other than just another patient that needs treatment. Come on folks, do what you can to meet peoples request but when you are in the emergency room, as I have been, believing you are having a heart attack, be thankful to whom ever you believe in that there is someone there to treat you period.

[Mehreen Jamal]

12:06 PM on 11/19/2010

Nobody's saying that it's absolutely necessary that the doctor be Muslim, just that it's preferred - anyone is comfortable with another person who understands the reason for their discomfort. Also, I would think that a lot of women, regardless of faith, would prefer a female doctor just because it makes them feel safer.

[Kimiko Austin-Rijs]

02:31 PM on 11/17/2010

While I can understand why woman religious and other wise may feel more comfortable with a female doctor or nurse, this is going a bit far. The US is not a muslim country. As far as I know you can CHOOSE to go to a female doctor. If you are in the Emergency room because you are injured then be grateful that someone male or female is working to save your injured limb or possibly your life. I am so tired of this religion in particular with their ridiculous demands. Choose a female as your regular doctor and if you end up in an emergency stay home or accept things as they are.

[JoryM]

01:00 AM on 11/19/2010

I don't think it's a ridiculous demand at all. We understand that USA is a secular nation but it's a Muslim woman's right to have a certain type of Dr. Take your scenario with the ER for instance. They understand that there is not always a female Muslim Dr. on call so you would go to a non Muslim woman and so on. I don't understand why you have such a problem with a Muslim woman feeling more comfortable in such a situation. If there isn't a Muslim Dr. around and she refuses services offered to her by a non Muslim then so be it and whatever happens to her happens but Dr.'s should respect her religious views. I don't think that's such a ridiculous demand.

[Kimiko Austin-Rijs]

05:36 AM on 11/19/2010

I SAID I understood a woman, ANY woman for that matter wanting a female doctor. We live in an age where we can CHOOSE out doctors for what ever reason we desire.In an emergency room one is or should be there because there is an EMERGENCY. If that is the case then it is MORE than a little ungrateful to be DEMANDED that the person trying to say your miserable life is female or male. I m not religious and do not believe in religious consideration to this gross and foolish degree.

[Bonnie Barbash Lief]

09:59 PM on 01/08/2011

What starts out as a preference can become a demand. This is a slippery slope, and in Europe there have already been male doctors attacked by husbands of muslim women. Also, any attempt to accommodate in this manner will bring down an already overly taxed medical system.

[Carroll27]

02:02 PM on 11/16/2010

Separate but equal

[TeeSC]

01:46 PM on 11/16/2010

I am so ashamed to see so many obviously racially tinted comments.   Can't you look beyond your own prejudices for one minute and see that this is something that many women are concerned about?  Could be your mother... or your sister... or your daughter.  I, myself, am more comfortable with a woman OB-GYN.  I need to be able to trust my doctor... and trust involves a certain amount of understanding towards MY needs.
Please... stop the madness!

[TeacupKitten]

01:04 PM on 11/16/2010

Of course people will drag their hate along and say they like pilots who are non-Muslim, etc etc but this is not the same thing. Maybe non Muslim women also feel more comfortable with physicals by a doc of the same sex. Don't see what's wrong with preferring that.

[TeeSC]

01:38 PM on 11/16/2010

Of course it's not the same thing!  I, as a woman, am much more comfortable with a female OB-GYN.  I see absolutely nothing wrong with this.  Thanks!

[TeacupKitten]

03:07 PM on 11/16/2010

Exactly.

[palainausa]

10:41 AM on 11/17/2010

Do you want your own special time in the swimming pool, too?

[killerqueen84]

11:52 AM on 11/16/2010

I'm a health care provider. I believe it's my obligation to honor my patient's religious practices- so long as it's not over-the-top or unreasonable. I don't think requesting a certain gender of a physician is unreasonable, especially when a male provider would cause so much distress. If they want a female provider, get a female provider. It's not like there is any lack of female providers in the US. Many Christian, American women are like this as well when it comes to their gynecological or obstetric care. It's actually not that unusual.

[overcat]

03:25 PM on 11/18/2010

Not at all unusual - in the US I have ALWAYS had a choice regarding which doctor I visit.

[gregory57]

11:36 PM on 11/15/2010

Although it helps to remember that we are talking about people who would rather see young girls burn in a fire than be rescued by responders of the wrong sex, this is still insane.

Nobody likes wearing a gown that doesn't cover up their ass. Muslims aren't unique.
Most of us realize that this is for the convenience of the people who are attempting to care for us, and are willing to tolerate it.

[TeeSC]

01:40 PM on 11/16/2010

You're bringing something totally irrelevant into the discussion and only shows that you have no interest in the issue.  Take your Islam-phobia elsewhere.  This is a concern that MANY MANY women share all over the world.

[Paul The Octopus]

10:56 PM on 11/15/2010

Enough with those crazies! What does a doctor's faith have to do with his/her practice! Jeez! Or should I say Allah?

[TOS100]

11:47 AM on 11/15/2010

As for everyone else, I want my doctor to spend NO time on becoming an expert on religions, and more time learning about the latest medical advancements.

My life depends on it.

[TOS100]

11:22 AM on 11/15/2010

If they want to force their religious beliefs upon a doctor who is attempting to use his medical education in order to either fix them or SAVE THEIR LIVES, then maybe they should consider NOT going to the doctor.

Stay home and pray. You claim it works. Show us.

[JoryM]

12:34 AM on 11/19/2010

I would have to disagree with you. The person is paying for this service that is being done by the dr. and I think they have the right to follow their religious views and have the procedures done a certain why and by a certain sex. If it makes a Muslim woman for instance feel more comfortable having a female dr. do an exam then so be it. Nobody is trying to force their religious views on anyone.

[billhodges]

08:55 AM on 11/14/2010

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia’s top government-sanctioned board of senior Islamic clerics has endorsed a fatwa that calls for a ban on female vendors because it violates the kingdom’s strict segregation of the sexes.
The powerful committee said in its ruling that the mixing of sexes is forbidden and women should not seek jobs where they could encounter men.
The decision comes after a conservative preacher was reprimanded in August for violating a government-mandated restriction on fatwas by calling for a boycott of supermarkets employing female cashiers.
Saudi King Abdullah has been trying to clamp down on ultraconservative ideology as part of his bid to modernize the kingdom. But his efforts appear to be challenged by the influential religious scholars, who play a key role in the monarch’s legitimacy.

[Farsha]

09:45 AM on 11/15/2010

Why does Saudi Arabia come here?

All muslims neither hail from saudi Arabia nor do they have love for saudis. Infact muslims mostly hate saudi royal family.

And its stupid to compare a illusionist democracy and corrupt monarchy anyway. If we talk of heathcare, saudi arabia has no income or state yet they have pretty good public free for all health care system.

[Farsha]

09:48 AM on 11/15/2010

Why does Saudi Arabia come here?

All muslims neither hail from saudi Arabia nor do they have love for saudis. Infact muslims mostly hate saudi royal family.

And its stupid to compare a illusionist democracy and corrupt monarchy anyway. If we talk of heathcare, saudi arabia has no income or state tax yet they have pretty good public free for all health care system.

[svmaggieb]

03:42 PM on 11/13/2010

Now they want to dictate medical policy?

Excuse me, but don't "revealing hospital gowns, doctors of the opposite sex and secluded examination rooms with closed doors" run the risk of making just about ANYONE feel uneasy?

Just what did this study use for a control group, corpses?

Sorry religion-of-peacers. Medical care is medical care. Get the best you can, when you can...regardless of gender. Or move back in time to the dark ages.

I can think of about 200 parodies on this line of reasoning...but I'm sure they are already all over YouTube.

[JoryM]

12:42 AM on 11/19/2010

"Now they want to dictate medical policy?" Who are 'they'? The Muslims? You act as if they're aliens or something.
A Muslim for instance is paying that Dr. to do whatever it is that they are doing and they have the right to be as comfortable as possible and if a Muslim woman would prefer to not have a man in the closed with her giving a physical or w/e it may be then so be it. That's the woman's right and the Dr. and medical community should respect that.

So are you saying that if I don't feel comfortable with a woman Dr. giving me a testicular cancer exam that I should just go back to the middle ages because I should just be happy with whatever they give me? My answer to that is- that's so closed minded and like I said earlier you pay for the service so you should be able to say who can be the one giving the service.

[Bonnie Barbash Lief]

10:03 PM on 01/08/2011

Well, obvously if you have a plan which offers a choice. But in a hospital, forget it! It wouldnt be fair or practical to give special accommodations to any one group.

[maximine]

01:32 PM on 11/13/2010

Faith and ignorance : good receipe for disaster. After reading this study, I have no hope for humanity. Get rid of every religion!

[Socrmom]

10:28 AM on 11/13/2010

I see why a woman of any or no faith would prefer a woman doctor - I do myself. I do NOT see why religious affiliation should be taken into consideration in an emergent situation. Why does a Muslim woman need a Muslim doctor. Are the rest of us not good enough?

[Farsha]

09:36 AM on 11/15/2010

Yes, muslim women don't need "Muslim women doctors" they just prefer women doctor. Women doctor can be any one a baptist, jew or hindu.

[Socrmom]

11:25 AM on 11/15/2010

The writer seems to feel differently. She says the first choice would be a same faith same sex doctor.