“Physicians must ask questions: Who is in the community? What do they need? They need to know what is acceptable… need to know what we believe in. The more you know the better you serve them.”
-Abeir Ibrahim, Cross Cultural Consulting Group
During her conference presentation, “Care of Muslim Patients,” Dr. Arafat highlights how “Clinicians who understand Islam and its religious practices will be empowered and better equipped to provide quality care, and will be able to appropriately encourage healthy behaviors and provide individualized care to their Muslim patients.” When caring for patients, “it is not about us, it is about the patient,” she says. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the US, and so it is important to understand some of the practices and beliefs that may impact decisions about their health. “Respect for the patient makes them feel comfortable,” she says. For example, the idea of modesty is very important in Islam, and to make patients feel more at ease, patients may prefer a physician of the same-sex, or to have a chaperone in the room if the patient is alone with someone of the opposite sex. Physicians and healthcare facilities can offer these services to patients and adopt other signs of respect like knocking before entering a room. Other considerations include halal foods and medications and dietary concerns while fasting for patients with chronic illnesses.
Regina describes culture like an iceberg, there is a small portion that is observable on the surface, but most of it is harder to identify. Religious beliefs, values and customs are typically harder to discern. Regina states, “You have to remember that when you’re seeing patients there are things you can’t see.” Deqa affirms that while “you are treating [patients] for diabetes, there are other things underneath it.” A friend of theirs works in healthcare and makes it a point to learn a few words in different languages. “We're not asking people to know everything about everything,” Regina says, “just to know enough to get you by… a couple of phrases because again, you're also building that trust with the community.” Dr. Arafat reiterates that saying “Happy Eid” or “Ramadan Kareen” during Ramadan would be nice to hear for patients who are stressed or sick.
The end of the conference was a good beginning to the conversation of cultural humility and bias in medicine. The CCCG concluded feeling encouraged about the afternoon, and the lasting impressions they hope they instilled in the students. “I thought conversations were very open and honest and people were very grateful that we were there,” says Regina. Abeir ends with one last nugget of wisdom: “Physicians must ask questions: Who is in the community? What do they need? They need to know what is acceptable… need to know what we believe in. The more you know the better you serve them.” <>
References:
Cross Cultural Consulting Group
“UNE COM Cultural Humility & Biases in Medicine.” Lecture, UNE, Sept 9, 2019