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Culturally Competent Care

This resource is meant to be used as a guide. Every religion and culture has differing practices, beliefs, ceremonies, and languages dependent on origin location, community, family, and the individual. If you are unsure about how to best provide support,

Brief Overview

  • 5 pillars of faith¹,²
    • One true God, Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger
    • Prayer 5x a day facing Mecca
    • Give 2.5% of capital to those in need
    • Daytime fasting during Ramadan
    • Must perform pilgrimage to Mecca, Hajj, at least once if able
  • The Quran is the final revelation of humanity¹

Common Rituals

  • Fridays are holiest day, with prayer at noon¹
  • Prayer 5x a day facing Mecca¹
  • Wash face, hands, and feet before prayer¹
  • Daytime fasting during Ramada²
  • May need help with washing if not able²

Common Health Beliefs

  • Healthcare providers seen as helpers of God's will¹
  • Bodies given in trust by God to use appropriately for attainment of salvation²
  • Healthy lifestyle seen as religious obligation²
  • Illness seen as trial by God²
  • Prayer and medical care work together²

Clinical Considerations

  • Same sex providers may be required¹,² 
    • Opposite gender should announce self before entering room for individual to have time to attire self¹
  • Organ donation, most surgical procedures, and blood products are accepted¹,² 
  • If no other alternative exists, a forbidden drug or product used for healing may be used² 

Diet

  • Fasting during Ramadan¹,²
    • Children, women who are pregnant or menstruating, and those who are sick may be exempt
  • Right hand (clean hand) used for eating¹
  • Restrictions on oils (use vegetable oil) pork, shellfish, alcohol, and intoxicants¹,²
  • Animal meat to be butchered in accordance with specific practices²
  • Foods considered lawful are called Halal¹,²

Mental Health

  • May be unwilling to share about mental health unless specifically asked²
  • A Muslim doctor or clergy (of the same sex) may make individual more comfortable²
  • Suicide rejected, family counselling may be needed if individual is suffering from depression²

Pregnancy

  • Pregnant women may be exempt from fasting, encouraged to rest, do minimal work, eat well¹,²
  • Abortion rejected unless in cases of incest, rape, health of mother¹,²
  • Fetus considered human at 25 weeks¹
  • Breastfeed until age 2 if possible²
  • Father may not be expected to be in the delivery room (Differs based on culture)²
  • Common to have female family present at birth²
  • Male circumcision expected²

Informed Consent

  • Family may want to buffer sick family members from knowing about illness
  • May prefer to disclose health information in presence of health professional 
  • May prefer to disclose a little bit of information at a time

End of Life/Death

  • Death is a part of God's plan¹
  • Medical care accepted if possibility of cure, but prolonging when no cure and with suffering not accepted²
  • May require confession of sins and forgiveness before death¹
  • May require quick signing of death certificate to facilitate prayer within 72 hours of death and for quick burial¹,²
  • Typically ritualistic washing of body before burial²
  • Medically assisted dying rejected¹,²
  • Autopsies only when legally or medically needed¹
  • organ donation acceptable and may provide comfort¹,²

References

  1. Swihart, D. L., Yarrarapu, S. N. S., & Martin, R. L. (2024). Cultural Religious Competence in Clinical Practice. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493216

  2. Spiritual Care Advisory Committee. (2015). Health Care and Religious Beliefs. Alberta Health Services. https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/programs/ps-1026227-health-care-religious-beliefs.pdf