Caring for Hindu Patients

138 Pages·2016·2.438 MB·English

by  Diviash Thakrar, Rasamandala Das, Aziz Sheikh

0108014 246x352 1pp 13/6/08 10:22 Page 1
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CARING FOR HINDU PATIENTS
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Hindus form a significant proportion of society today, and healthcare professionals in all settings and n
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locations need an awareness of their beliefs and cultural expectations, to communicate effectively
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and provide care in an appropriate manner. This book provides that information in a concise and o
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practical form. H
With a brief and cohesive overview of Hinduism, and a short examination of the population’s i
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demographic diversity, the book explores issues such as language, dress, diet and festivals with d
emphasis on their practical relevance to healthcare professionals. u
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Considering the health needs of Hindu patients at various life stages, the book focuses on birth and a
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childhood, and adult issues related to marriage, family structure, contraception, abortion, infertility i
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and adoption. It also enhances the reader’s understanding of Hindu approaches to death, to help n
medical and nursing staff offer care sensitive to the needs of Hindu patients – needs that extend well t
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beyond the immediate and the physical, and encompass longer-term emotional and spiritual
requirements.
The book is essential practical reading for every healthcare professional.
‘To improve the health of our patients, we need to be able to address all the issues which affect their
health and wellbeing. This includes not only diseases but also their environment, education,
employment and spiritual health. To be successful, we need to know far more about the context of
people’s lives, their religions and the cultures in which they have been brought up. This book is vital to
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any modern-day health professional. It helps us diagnose and care for Hindu patients, but goes beyond d
it
this on a journey that makes us far better health carers. It teaches us to speak the “language” of all our e
d
patients.’ Sam Everington in the Foreword b
y
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Other Radcliffe books of related interest iv
ia
s
h
CARING FOR MUSLIM PATIENTS CARING FOR DYING PEOPLE T
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Second Edition OF DIFFERENT FAITHS a
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Edited by Aziz Sheikh and Third Edition ra
r
Abdul Rashid Gatrad OBE Julia Neuberger , R
a
s
CARING FOR JEWISH PATIENTS TRANSCULTURAL GERIATRICS a
m
Joseph Spitzer caring for elderly people of Indo-Asian origin a Edited by Diviash Thakrar,
n
d
THE DOCTOR’S COMMUNICATION Partha Ghosh and Shahid Anis Khan ala
HANDBOOK NARRATIVE-BASED PRIMARY CARE D Rasamandala Das and Aziz Sheikh
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Fifth Edition a practical guide s a
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Peter Tate John Launer d
A
z
iz S Foreword by Sam Everington OBE
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ISBN: 978-1-85775-598-5 h
www.radcliffe-oxford.com
Electronic catalogue and
worldwide online ordering facility.
9 781857 755985
Caring for Hindu Patients

Caring for Hindu Patients
Edited by
DIVIASH THAKRAR
General Practitioner, Northwood
GP with Specialist Interest in Cardiology, Hillingdon Hospital
RASAMANDALA DAS
Educational Consultant based in Oxford
specialising in Education and Hinduism
and
AZIZ SHEIKH
Professor of Primary Care Research and Development
University of Edinburgh
Foreword by
DR SAM EVERINGTON obe
General Practioner, Tower Hamlets
Radcliffe Publishing
Oxford (cid:129) New York
CRC Press
Taylor & Francis Group
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Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742

© 2008 by Diviash Thakrar, Rasamandala Das and Aziz Sheikh
CRC Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business

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Version Date: 20160525

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Contents
Foreword vii
Preface ix
Contributors x
Acknowledgements xii
Introduction 1
Part One: The Hindu tradition
1 Hinduism: the tradition speaks for itself 5
VIPIN AERY, RASAMANDALA DAS AND KRISHNA DHARMA
2 Social and demographic characteristics of Britain’s Hindu
population 25
DR ROGER BALLARD
Part Two: Issues related to healthcare
3 The need for cultural sensitivity 41
DR HEENAKUMARI GHANSHYAMBHAI PATEL, DR PAUL OLIVER AND
DR BHANU RAM
4 Birth and childhood customs 55
DR NILAMANI GOR
5 Marriage and family life 65
DR VIBHA RUPARELIA
6 Death and bereavement 77
DR DIVIASH THAKRAR AND VIPIN AERY
Appendices
1 Important Hindu deities 85
RASAMANDALA DAS
2 Twelve important festivals 87
RASAMANDALA DAS
3 Important Hindu groups represented in the UK 89
RASAMANDALA DAS
4 Hindu resources on the World Wide Web 93
DR BHAVESH KATARIA
5 Dietary leafl ets 101
AUDE CHOLET
Glossary 115
NIMA SUCHAK
Foreword
Mahatma Gandhi’s life is an inspiration to all of us. He was a great healer of
individuals and communities. Learning about his religion and way of life helps
us as health professionals to be far more than scientists. To be really successful,
we have to use our role to help individual patients with all their health needs,
while at the same time improve the health of all the communities in which we
live. Many of us were trained to be scientists. Today with the access to knowledge
that most people have, and a more equal society, we need to have far more
inclusive and adaptable skills. The relationships we have with our patients need
to range from being a scientist to a counsellor, from a friend to a partner in self
care. Our knowledge also needs to be much wider. To improve the health of our
patients, we need to be able to address all the issues which affect their health and
wellbeing. This includes not only diseases but also their environment, education,
employment and spiritual health. To be successful, we need to know far more
about the context of people’s lives, their religions and the cultures in which they
have been brought up.
This book is vital to any modern-day health professional. It helps us diagnose
and care for Hindu patients, approximately one in a hundred of our community,
but goes beyond this on a journey that makes us far better health carers. It
teaches us to speak the ‘language’ of all our patients. If we learn to do this, any
consultation will have a better outcome. In particular, the 80% which are about
long-term illness. Evidence now suggests that some of the biggest improvements
in the care of chronic disease will come from helping our patients to manage
their own illnesses. For us to make all this happen, we have to understand the
context in which all our patients live.
Dr Sam Everington Barrister, OBE
General Practitioner, Tower Hamlets
Deputy Chair, BMA, 2004–07 (Acting Chair, 2007)
Ministerial Advisory Board on Primary Care (Access), 2007–present
May 2008
vii
This is a concise and easy to read text which provides valuable information
for the busy medical professional working in a modern multi-cultural
practice. This book is a goldmine of insights into Hinduism with
helpful summaries and appendices on matters as they relate to health.
Understanding culture and tradition improves the care and communic a-
tion we have with our patients and this book covers many of the important
issues and rituals from birth through to death. There are also clear sign-
posts to other resources and key sites on the web. This book should be
available in every healthcare environment.
Dr Ivan F Trotman md frcp
Consultant Physician, Mount Vernon Hospital
Clinical Director, Mount Vernon Cancer Network
How does one rise to the challenge of representing the multiple facets
and interpretations encapsulated within Hinduism for those interested in
caring for the Hindu patient? This concise book rises to this challenge and
elegantly succeeds by approaching the subject matter innovatively by focus-
ing on the key concepts that explain both the similarities and differences
between different Hindus. Through the metaphorical cycle of birth, mar-
riage and death, the authors guide the reader towards developing cultural
sensitivity to aid their consultations as well as inform them of Hindu beliefs
and practices relevant to the care of the Hindu patient. The case studies
and the appendices full of practical tips are a great help to busy practition-
ers faced with Hindu patients on a regular basis.
Dr Sabby Kant mrcgp
GP and Medical Author
The Hindu faith is considered ‘a way of life’ pervading all aspects of its
adherents’ day-to-day existence. As a Minister of the Hindu Faith and medi-
cal doctor I consider this book a comprehensive and exceptional account
of Hindu ethos coupled with clear practical applications when interacting
with Hindu patients.
Dr Raj Pandit Sharma
President, Hindu Priest Association UK
Preface
Providing high-quality clinical care for the diverse communities that now make
up British society is an important challenge for the NHS; furthermore, the extent
to which this is achieved is a clear indicator of our social commitment to equal
opportunities. However, achieving this aspiration is no easy task, as evidenced by
persistent health inequalities – and this despite the good intentions of the skilled
and diligent professionals who plan, deliver and evaluate care. Many people
from within these minority faith and ethnic communities believe that this, to a
large extent, refl ects an inadequate understanding of the relationship between
religious and ethnic identities, and the impact of these identities on access to
care and the quality of its delivery.
There is now a large and relatively well-established Hindu community in
Britain, members of which are making a substantial and important contribution
to the social, economic and intellectual development of these isles. This cont ri-
bution is increasingly recognised. Far less appreciated is that members of this
same community have particular health and social care needs.
Caring for Hindu Patients is an extremely welcome publication. For the fi rst
time, it provides carefully considered, evidence-based and readily accessible
insight into the healthcare needs of British Hindus. With its contributions from
well-respected members of the British Hindu community and others, it will, we
hope, prove to be a much-valued resource for medical, nursing and other health-
care professionals, working both in hospitals and community settings.
We wish this landmark work the success it deserves.
National Council of Hindu Temples,
Hindu Forum of Britain,
Hindu Council UK,
BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha and ISKCON
May 2008
ix