Multicultural Clinical Support Resource Folder
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CONTENT HEALTH & RELIGION Religious practices and health care Buddhism Christianity Hinduism Islam Judaism Sikhism Religious restrictions and medications Calendar of significant religious days (Jul-Dec 2007 and 2008) Multicultural Clinical Support Resource Health & religion RELIGIOUS PRACTICES AND HEALTH CARE Queensland is a diverse society with a great variety of cultures, languages and religions. According to the 2001 Census, the main Queensland religious affiliations are: Christianity 2, 547, 589 (71 % of the total population) Buddhism 37,758 (1.1 % of the total population) Islam 15, 031 (0.4 % of the total population) other religious groups 14, 745 (0.4 % of the total population) Hinduism 8, 980 (0.3 % of the total population) Judaism 4,261 (0.1 % of the total population) Staff will encounter the interface between religious practices and health when caring for or treating these diverse groups. Every day routines and the need to pray or meditate; food and/or medication restrictions or the need to fast; acceptance or denial of illness or death; customs for social and spiritual support; and rituals around birth and death, are examples of this interface between religion and health care. Awareness of the practices of your patient/client can improve communication, understanding, the health care relationship and ultimately health outcomes. The following tables present basic information about the major religions practised in Queensland. However, it is important to recognise that within specific religious affiliations not all people will have the same practices, beliefs or the same degree of observance. Websites with further information and also the contact details of local religious groups in Queensland are presented at the bottom of each table. To find local religious groups in your area, go to www.multicultural.qld.gov.au/media/maq_resource_directory.pdf This Queensland Government directory is updated annually. Please note: this information provides a broad guide only and provides some general information for staff to discuss the impact of religion or faith on health care. Staff should use discretion in applying these guidelines broadly to individuals from specific or all faiths. Multicultural Clinical Support Resource Health & religion BUDDHISM MAIN REGIONS KEY BELIEFS DIETARY KEY CONSIDERATIONS MEDICAL HANDLING OF WHERE PRACTICED NEEDS PROCEDURES DECEASED PERSON There are two main Buddhism, founded by Gautama Many when treating Buddhists There are no religious many Buddhists believe strands of Buddhism: Siddharta in India, is a tradition that Buddhists are monks or nuns, health objections to the that the spirit stays in the Theravada Buddhism focuses on personal spiritual vegetarian and care workers should be majority of medical body for several hours is practiced in Sri development and the attainment of fast on special of the same gender procedures such as after death and therefore Lanka, Burma, insight into the true nature of life days. the family of a sick organ transplants and prefer if the body is not Thailand, Cambodia, the central teaching is that all life is However, there Buddhist in hospital will blood transfusions. handled for some time Laos, Malaysia, interconnected, therefore having is no fixed diet. often want to attend However patients or Mahayana Buddhists Singapore and Nepal compassion is important their sick relative. A sick their families should prefer the body to be left Mahayana Buddhism Buddhism is not a God-centred faith. Buddhist in hospital always be informed of for up to eight hours is practiced by Tibet, Buddhists do not worship. Buddhist may also request a visit procedures and allowed while Tibetan Buddhists Mongolia, Taiwan, icons are meant to be images of from a monk or nun, to decide upon the prefer up to three days Korea, Vietnam, reflection, for inspiration and a focus however in some course of treatment. for Japanese Buddhists, Japan, China, for aspirations Buddhist cultures this is the Buddhist priest Malaysia, Singapore Buddhists* believe in the law of karma, only for the terminally should be notified if and Nepal. which explains that one’s own ill. possible. The deceased happiness or suffering, success or is dressed in a white failure, health or illness etc, is caused Kimono and wears straw by one’s own previous actions (karma shoes called warai. means action), bodily, verbal or mental Buddhists believe in reincarnation. Places of worship include monasteries, temples, stupas and pagodas. * the term ‘Buddhists’ refers to people who believe in/practice the Buddhist faith and is consistent with language from a fact sheet developed by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia (reference below). Sources: Australia. Office of Multicultural Issues Western Australia. Buddhist Society of Western Australia. Culture and Religion Sheet. [online] October 2005 [cited 19 June 2007] Available from: www.omi.wa.gov.au/Publications/cr_diversity/buddhism.pdf Australia. Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Intranet. Babacan, H. and Obst, P. Death, Dying and Religion An Examination of non- Christian Beliefs and Practices A guide for human service professionals [online] undated [cited 18 June 2007] Available from http://hi.bns.health.qld.gov.au/rbh/multicultural/Guidelines.htm#Death,%20Dying%20and%20Religion Australia. University of Western Australia Interfaith Calendar – Buddhism [online] undated [cited 20 June 2007] Available from: www.equity.uwa.edu.au/welcome/priority_areas/cultural_diversity/interfaith_calendar/buddhist Further information: Information sheet www.omi.wa.gov.au/Publications/cr_diversity/buddhism.pdf Buddhist organisations in Queensland www.buddhistcouncilofqueensland.org/index.php Multicultural Clinical Support Resource Health & religion CHRISTIANITY COUNTRIES KEY BELIEFS DIETARY NEEDS KEY CONSIDERATIONS MEDICAL HANDLING OF WHERE WIDELY PROCEDURES DECEASED PERSON PRACTISED Christians may be Christianity was founded in Israel many Christians because Christians Some Christians may hold there are no particular from European and centres on Jesus Christ have no particular come from such religious objections to rules about the handling countries, Asia, it has many forms around the world cultural practices diverse cultural abortion, euthanasia and of the body, except that Pacific Island and has many cultural adaptations regarding food and backgrounds, in- vitro fertilisation respect must be countries, Africa and in its practice drink denominations and procedures. observed Latin America. the Bible is a book of writings however, some churches, it is there are no religious Christians churches which is considered sacred by Christians fast advisable to check objections to autopsy include: Anglican, Christians during lent, the six whether the patient has Christians may have a Baptist, Lutheran, Christians* believe in one God who week period prior to any particular religious preference for burial over Assemblies of God, is revealed in three distinct persons Easter usually not needs that may affect cremation Catholic, Churches (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) eating meat on health care For some Christians the of Christ and others Christians uphold Jesus as the Son Good Friday and Christians may worship following should be of God; accept Jesus’ teachings; the Fridays of Lent at any time but the respected: prayer and worship; the Seven-Day expected worship time - last Rites for Catholics significance of life, death and Adventists may be is Sunday mornings. - baptism for dying resurrection of Jesus; the need to vegetarian - lacto- infants help others. ovo vegetarian (no Places of worship include meat, but eggs and churches, chapels, cathedrals, dairy ok) basilicas, meeting houses and Kingdom Halls. * the term ‘Christians’ refers to people who believe in/practice the Christian faith and is consistent with language from a fact sheet developed by the Council of Churches (reference below). Source: Australia. Office of Multicultural Issues Western Australia. Council of Churches of Western Australia. Culture and Religion Sheet. [online] October 2005 [cited 19 June 2007] Available from: www.omi.wa.gov.au/Publications/cr_diversity/christianity.pdf Australia. Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital Intranet.Rev I Carden, Death, dying and belief, Christianity, undated [cited 19 June 2007] Available from: http://hi.bns.health.qld.gov.au/rbh/multicultural/Guidelines.htm#Death,%20Dying%20and%20Religion Correspondence, South Queensland Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, General Secretary, 27 March 2007 Further information: Information sheet: www.omi.wa.gov.au/Publications/cr_diversity/christianity.pdf National Council of Churches: www.ncca.org.au/ Multicultural Clinical Support Resource Health & religion HINDUISM MAIN REGIONS KEY BELIEFS DIETARY KEY CONSIDERATIONS MEDICAL HANDLING OF WHERE NEEDS PROCEDURES DECEASED PERSON PRACTICED Hindus in there is no founder or organisational many are health care workers a disregard of modesty should be handled by Australia have hierarchy in Hinduism, but it stems from India. vegetarians – should be sensitive to can cause person of same sex who migrated from It is a way of life, upholding the principles of no meat or the food and dietary considerable distress observes respect and countries such good/virtuous living eggs needs of the patient to Hindus and in modesty as India, Fiji, the Hindu belief is non-exclusive and accepts those who are also consider bovine particular to Hindu autopsies are Nepal, all other faiths and spiritual/religious