Patients’ cultural and spiritual explanatory models in health encounters: a focus on the efficacy of cancer prevention strategies in women from South Sudan
Paula PetersonCommunity Engagement, Mater Misericordiae Brisbane Ltd, Mater Centre for Integrated Care and Innovation, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Qld 4101, Australia. Email: paula.peterson@mater.org.au
Australian Journal of Primary Health 26(3) 227-233 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY19229
Submitted: 10 December 2019 Accepted: 4 February 2020 Published: 27 May 2020
Abstract
This qualitative study examined non-clinical factors that affect health, namely the cultural and spiritual beliefs of the patient. The study focuses on women from South Sudan. Although the overt religious adherence of these women is familiar to mainstream Australia (i.e. Christian), they are culturally diverse from the mainstream. The experiences of five women were documented. These women, all regarded as community leaders, were also asked about their assessment of the views of the wider community of women from South Sudan. This study informs targeted health promotion messages for a significant community in Australia. It is anticipated that the findings of this research, although not generalisable to the whole South Sudanese community or to all those with a refugee background, will provide important information to guide the development of culturally appropriate health care into the future. The findings point to the need for enhanced clinical education around communication, especially in relation to understanding the patients’ explanatory models of health. The findings have implications for patient education strategies. Finally, the findings reinforce the importance of engaging the community in the development of those strategies and ensuring their input into further research.
Additional keywords: attitude to health, minority health, primary prevention.
References
Ben-Arye E, Bonucci M, Daher M, Kebudi R, Saad BF, Breitkreuz T, Rassouli M, Rossi E, Gafer N, Nimri O, Hablas M, Kienle G, Samuels N, Silberman M (2018) Refugees in conflict: creating a bridge between traditional and conventional health belief models. The Oncologist 23, 693–696.| Refugees in conflict: creating a bridge between traditional and conventional health belief models.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 29284761PubMed |
Carroll J, Epstein R, Fiscella K, Volpe E, Diaz K, Omar S (2007) Knowledge and beliefs about health promotion and preventive health care among Somali women in the United States. Health Care for Women International 28, 360–380.
| Knowledge and beliefs about health promotion and preventive health care among Somali women in the United States.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 17454183PubMed |
Ellis MR, Campbell JD (2005) Concordant spiritual orientations as a factor in physician–patient spiritual discussions: a qualitative study. Journal of Religion and Health 44, 39–53.
| Concordant spiritual orientations as a factor in physician–patient spiritual discussions: a qualitative study.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 16285131PubMed |
Erny-Albrecht K, Bywood P (2016) Expert Plus. Barriers to primary health care access – an update. (Primary Health Care Research and Information Service: Adelaide, SA, Australia) Available at https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/91ad/53b9d2f921da78352ecad7ab1794199a1383.pdf [Verified 2 December 2019]
Groenewald T (2004) A phenomenological research design illustrated. International Journal of Qualitative Methods 3, 42–55.
| A phenomenological research design illustrated.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Henderson S, Kendall E (2011) Culturally and linguistically diverse peoples’ knowledge of accessibility and utilisation of health services: exploring the need for improvement in health service delivery. Australian Journal of Primary Health 17, 195–201.
| Culturally and linguistically diverse peoples’ knowledge of accessibility and utilisation of health services: exploring the need for improvement in health service delivery.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 21645477PubMed |
Human Rights Watch (2019) South Sudan. Events of 2018. Available at https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/south-sudan [Verified 2 November 2019]
Iwelunmor J, Newsome V, Airhihenbuwa C (2014) Framing the impact of culture on health: a systematic review of the PEN-3 cultural model and its application in public health research and interventions. Ethnicity & Health 19, 20–46.
| Framing the impact of culture on health: a systematic review of the PEN-3 cultural model and its application in public health research and interventions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Joshi C, Russell G, Cheng IH, Kay M, Pottie K, Alston M, Smith M, Chan B, Vasi S, Lo W, Wahidi SS, Harris MF (2013) A narrative synthesis of the impact of primary health care delivery models for refugees in resettlement countries on access, quality and coordination. International Journal for Equity in Health 12, 88
| A narrative synthesis of the impact of primary health care delivery models for refugees in resettlement countries on access, quality and coordination.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 24199588PubMed |
Patel V (1995) Explanatory models of mental illness in Sub Saharan Africa. Social Science & Medicine 40, 1291–1298.
| Explanatory models of mental illness in Sub Saharan Africa.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Peterson P, Ali S, Kenneh A, Wakefield A (2019) Community engagement with refugee background communities around health: the experience of the Group of 11. Australian Journal of Primary Health 25, 113–117.
| Community engagement with refugee background communities around health: the experience of the Group of 11.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 30986367PubMed |
Quest TE, Franks NM (2006) Vulnerable populations: cultural and spiritual direction. Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America 24, 687–702.
| Vulnerable populations: cultural and spiritual direction.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 16877137PubMed |
Rocque R, Leanza Y (2015) A systematic review of patients’ experiences in communicating with primary care physicians: intercultural encounters and a balance between vulnerability and integrity. PLoS One 10,
| A systematic review of patients’ experiences in communicating with primary care physicians: intercultural encounters and a balance between vulnerability and integrity.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 26440647PubMed |
Shirazi M, Shirazi A, Bloom J (2015) Developing a culturally competent faith-based framework to promote breast cancer screening among Afghan immigrant women. Journal of Religion and Health 54, 153–159.
| Developing a culturally competent faith-based framework to promote breast cancer screening among Afghan immigrant women.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 24198047PubMed |
Srivastava A, Thomson SB (2009) Framework analysis: a qualitative methodology for applied policy research. Journal of Administration and Governance 4, 72–79.
Tirodkar MA, Baker DW, Makoul GT, Khurana N, Paracha MW, Kandula NR (2011) Explanatory models of health and disease among South Asian immigrants in Chicago. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 13, 385–394.
| Explanatory models of health and disease among South Asian immigrants in Chicago.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 20131000PubMed |
