Lecturer: Ms. REJOICE MOTTEY

IN

HEALTH

05/01/2023 2

TOPIC: DISCUSS THE ROLE OF THE SUPERNATURAL IN HEALTHCARE.

PRESENTATION BY GROUP 3

Agbagba Cephas 2015PA1010002

Bashiru Lukman 2015PA1010009

Odum Solomon 2015NU1010011

Honu Perfect 2015PA1010010

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OBJECTIVES

Definition of related terms. pathways in which religion influence health. Major religions and their roles in healthcare;ChristianityIslamTraditional and Alternative medicine General recommendations.

“We are not human beings having a

spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”

-Teilhard de Chardin05/01/2023 5

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Religion – believes and practices associated with the supernatural.

Supernatural – attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature.

Spirituality - involves relationships with a higher being, with self, and with the world around the individual.. Spirituality implies living with moral standards.

Atheism – the theory or belief that God does not exist.05/01/2023 6

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Health - "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” (WHO, 1948)

Healthcare - the maintenance or improvement of health via the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in human beings.

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RELIGION

Religion is an organized and public belief system of worship and practices that generally has a focus on a god or supernatural power. It generally offers an arrangement of symbols and rituals that are meaningful and understood by it’s followers.

“Religion is primarily a set of beliefs, a collection of prayers, or rituals. Religion is first and foremost a way of seeing. It can’t change the facts about the world we live in, but it can change the ways we see those facts, and that in itself can often make a difference.” (Harold Kushner)

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THE INFLUENCE OF SPIRITUALITY/RELIGION ON HEALTH

There are four prominent pathways in which religion influence health:

1. health behaviours (through prescribing a certain diet and/or discouraging the abuse of alcoholic beverages, smoking, etc. religion can protect and promote a healthy lifestyle),

2. social support (people can experience social contact with co-religionists and have a web of social relations that can help and protect whenever the case),

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THE INFLUENCE OF SPIRITUALITY/RELIGION ON HEALTH

3. psychological states (religious people can experience a better mental health, more positive psychological states, more optimism and faith, which in turn can lead to a better physical state due to less stress) and

4.‘psi’ influences (supernatural laws that govern ‘energies’ not currently comprehended by science but possibly understandable at some point by science).

Because spirituality/religion influences health through these pathways, they act in an indirect way on health (Oman & Thorensen, 2002).

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MAJOR RELIGIONS

Traditional religion - Generally, these traditions are oral rather than scriptural, include belief in a supreme creator, belief in spirits, veneration of the dead, use of magic, and traditional medicine.

Christianity religion- is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. It is the world's largest religion, with over 2.4 billion followers, or 33% of the global population, known as Christians.

Islamic religion - is a Abrahamic monotheistic religion that upholds that God is one and incomparable and that the purpose of existence is to worship God. Muslims consider Muhammad to be the last prophet of God. ... Most Muslims are of one of two denominations: Sunni (75–90%) or Shia (10–20%).

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IMPACTS OF CHRISTIANITY RELIGION ON HEALTHCARE

Although the doctrines of Christian churches vary greatly both within and between countries, there are general features of Christianity that are nearly universal.

A Christian’s individual faith and religious practice will be influenced by the tradition of the church to which they belong as well as their own personal relationship with God.

A Catholic patient will probably wish to be visited by a Catholic Priest and to receive Holy Communion and the “Sacrament of the Sick”.

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IMPACTS OF CHRISTIANITY RELIGION ON HEALTHCARE

Others will prefer to fast and pray or visit prayer camps for divine response when they are ill rather than relying on hospital medications.

Some individuals also fast beyond their capabilities depriving their bodies of food for long periods which can lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and nutrient deficiencies.

Blood Transfusion is normally acceptable for adults, but parents usually consent to transfusion for their child if doctors consider it essential and organ transplantation is not normally acceptable for adults to donate or receive organs.

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JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES

Jehovah’s Witnesses try to live their lives according to the commands of God as written in the Old and New Testaments. They regard Jesus Christ as the Son of God, but not in the sense of being equal with God or one with God.

Diet – Food containing blood or blood products is not acceptable.

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not smoke.

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JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES

Blood Transfusions – Jehovah’s Witnesses have religious views that taking blood into one’s body is morally wrong and is therefore prohibited.

This includes whole blood or its components, such as packed red cells, plasma, white cells and platelets.

Jehovah’s Witnesses can choose whether to accept products such as albumin, immunoglobins or clotting factors.

Blood samples may be taken for pathological testing providing any unused blood is disposed of.

Dialysis is usually accepted.

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JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES

Organ Transplantation – this is generally not permitted.

Components where blood is not involved, e.g. corneas, are more likely

to be acceptable.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are not likely to be willing either to donate or

receive an organ through which blood flows.

They will want reassurance that blood will not be used against their

wishes. 05/01/2023 16

IMPACTS OF ISLAMIC RELIGION ON HEALTHCARE

Hygiene/Cleanliness - Great importance is attached to cleanliness. (wash his/her face hands and feet before prayers, patients prefer to wash in free flowing water)

Method of prayer is a great form of exercise.

Modesty - in their dress and outlook. A female may request that she is examined by a female doctor or nurse, or that her husband or a female companion be present during a medical examination.

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IMPACTS OF ISLAMIC RELIGION ON HEALTHCARE

Diet

Both pork and alcohol are forbidden in all forms, all year round.

During the month of Ramadan according to the Muslim calendar all Muslims fast by not eating or drinking from dawn to sunset, but ill patients are exempted from this.

The taking of medication during a fasting day may cause difficulties to the patient, no undue pressure should be applied. This could be discussed with the patient and family.

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IMPACTS OF ISLAMIC RELIGION ON HEALTHCARE

Easy spread of infections

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IMPACTS OF ISLAMIC RELIGION ON HEALTHCARE

Dress/ jewelry -A locket containing religious writing is sometimes worn around the neck in a small leather bag. These are kept for protection and strength and therefore should never be removed, thereby interfering with some surgical procedures.

Family Planning – Strictly speaking orthodox Muslims do not approve of contraception, in practice, individuals vary widely in their approach.

Abortion is frowned upon, but is often tolerated if it is for medical reasons.

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IMPACTS OF TRADITIONAL RELIGION ON HEALTHCARE

Natural occurrences are said to have supernatural implications

When an African gets sick, a lack of trained doctors or medicine leads many to traditional practices, especially spiritual cures, some using religion, and appeals to ancestors.

Western medicine attributes disease in part to germs according to Professor Samuel Danquah a psychologist at the University of Ghana. By contrast, he says both good and bad health can have some spiritual implications for the African.

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IMPACTS OF TRADITIONAL RELIGION ON HEALTHCARE

“When x-rays and laboratory tests are not conclusive, the African is left in a state of doubt, and solutions are sought from outside sources. If orthodox medicine doesn’t work and the African uses his belief system, that he has sinned against God, in which case he will use a priest," explains Professor Danquah.

"If he has sinned against the lesser gods, he consults spirits and shrines. If he believes the cause to be witchcraft, he also sees the shrine."

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IMPACTS OF TRADITIONAL RELIGION ON HEALTHCARE

Traditional priests may either prescribe herbal treatments or certain rituals.

“Even to go and pluck the leaves, the priest has to say many incantations, without which the herbs may not work. And before they do that, they ask [the sick person] to slaughter a goat [as a sacrifice] before the leaves can work,” says Professor Danquah.

He says people will pay for the priest to invoke the spirit behind the treatment. This reinforces the African belief in the supernatural and makes the treatment more acceptable.

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ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES

any of a range of medical therapies that are not regarded as orthodox by the medical profession, such as herbalism, naturopathy, and acupuncture.

are practices claimed to have the healing effects of medicine but are disproven, unproven, impossible to prove, and are not part of medicine or science-based healthcare systems.

Alternative medicine consists of a wide range of health care practices, products, and therapies that are diverse in their foundations and methodologies.

Alternative medicine practices may be classified by their cultural origins or by the types of beliefs upon which they are based

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Unscientific belief systems

Naturopathy - Naturopathic medicine is based on a belief that the body heals itself using a supernatural vital energy that guides bodily processes.

Homeopathy - A belief that a substance that causes the symptoms of a disease in healthy people cures similar symptoms in sick people.

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Traditional ethnic systems

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Traditional practices and beliefs from China, together with modifications made by the Communist party make up TCM. Common practices include herbal medicine, acupuncture (insertion of needles in the

body at specified points), massage (Tui na), exercise (qigong), and dietary therapy.

• Traditional Chinese medicine

Traditional ethnic systems

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• believes in the existence of three elemental substances, the doshas (called Vata, Pitta and Kapha), and states that a balance of the doshas results in health, while imbalance results in disease.

• Such disease-inducing imbalances can be adjusted and balanced using traditional herbs, minerals and heavy metals.

• Ayurveda stresses the use of plant-based medicines and treatments, with some animal products, and added minerals, including sulfur, arsenic, lead, copper sulfate.

Ayurveda - Traditional medicine of India

Religion, faith healing, and prayer

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There is a divine or spiritual intervention in healing.

• Christian faith healing

A practitioner can reach an altered states of consciousness in order to encounter and interact with the spirit world or channel supernatural energies in the belief that they can heal.

• Shamanism

Supernatural energies

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Spinal manipulation aims to treat "vertebral subluxations" which are claimed to put pressure on nerves.

Practitioners place their palms on the patient near Chakras that they believe are centers of supernatural energies in the belief that these supernatural energies can transfer from the practitioner's palms to heal the patient.

• Chiropractic

• Reiki

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GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS IN PRACTICE

Consider spirituality as a potentially important component of every patient’s physical well-being and mental health.

Address spirituality in your initial assessment; continue addressing it at follow-up visits if appropriate. In patient care, spirituality is an ongoing issue.

Respect patient’s privacy regarding spiritual beliefs; don’t impose your beliefs on others.

Make referrals to chaplains, spiritual directors, or community resources as appropriate

• Awareness of your own spirituality will not only help you personally, but will also overflow in your encounters with those for whom you care.

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REFERENCES

Akpenpuun, Joyce Rumun (2O14). Influence Of Religious Beliefs On Healthcare Practice in International Journal of Education and Researh:Vol. 2 No. 4. Faculty of Social Sciences, Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria

Traditional believes play major roles in health. http://www.voanews.com/a/ghana-traditional-health-care-voa-80288697/416798.html. Retrieved on 9th November, 2016

Alternative medicine. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_medicine. Retrieved on 9th November, 201605/01/2023 32

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QUESTIONS ARE WELCOMED

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