Two University of Nebraska Medical Center physicians have written the first-ever board that encompasses the entire spectrum of caring for Arab patients, including the psychosocial aspects unique to the Arab culture.
The well-documented and scientifically researched aspects of treating patients whose lives are intertwined in family, social and cultural norms is meant to help enlighten physicians practicing in the Arab world.
Many of the physicians practicing in Arab countries have received their training in Europe or America, which then translates into how they practice medicine, as well as the norms for the practice of medicine in the larger system, said Laeth Nasir, MBBS, professor, UNMC Department of Family Medicine. Therefore, the background culture and inherent psychosocial environment of the patient is often overlooked, he said.
“These factors can be extremely important in the diagnosis and treatment chosen by the provider as well as compliance on the part of the patient. Our aim was to present a framework that might help practitioners and health providers in the region provide better medical care to their patients,” Dr. Nasir said.
Using detailed studies conducted in 22 Arab countries, and with contributions from colleagues in countries from throughout the Middle East and U.S., Drs. Nasir and Abdul-Haq are able to present a clear and cohesive picture of many of the psychosocial aspects of medicine encountered in Arab countries. Subjects covered include the effects of gender on health, death and dying, family dynamics, eating disorders and substance abuse.
“Psychosocial dimensions of medical care exert major impacts on health and treatment outcomes,” the authors write in the book.
In editing the book, Drs. Nasir and Abdul-Haq said they wanted to present a text that would gather together the growing trans-disciplinary body of academic literature on psychosocial aspects of medical care, but had never been synthesized or presented in a way that could inform education and clinical practice. In addition, they wanted to begin to articulate a vision that could help to shape future research in the area.
“The technology of medicine can be transferred directly from one culture to another but psychosocial aspects of medicine cannot,” Dr. Abdul-Haq said.
For example, the facts and technology surrounding problems such as treatment of congestive heart failure or genetic counseling are the same in Europe, America and the Middle East, but the cultural, social and environmental aspects of the patient are very different in the two regions.
“You have to take those things into consideration when treating an Arab patient,” Dr. Abdul-Haq said.
Family has a more central role in the care of the sick, she said, and the social norms of society also have a wider impact.
“Understanding these things will help the physician present medical care in a way that the patient will be comfortable with,” Dr. Nasir said.
Caring for Arab Patients: A biopsychosocial approach costs $119 and may be obtained direct from the publisher by calling 1-800-247-6553 or ordering online at www.radcliffe-oxford.com. Books are shipped from Radcliffe Publishing’s distribution center in Ohio. It is also available from health science bookstores, Amazon.com and other retailers.
UNMC is the only public health science center in the state. Its educational programs are responsible for training more health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other institution. Through their commitment to education, research, patient care and outreach, UNMC and its hospital partner, The Nebraska Medical Center, have established themselves as one of the country’s leading centers in cancer, transplantation biology, bioterrorism preparedness, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, genetics, biomedical technology and ophthalmology. UNMC’s research funding from external sources now exceeds $80 million annually and has resulted in the creation of more than 2,400 highly skilled jobs in the state. UNMC’s physician practice group, UNMC Physicians, includes 513 physicians in 50 specialties and subspecialties who practice primarily in The Nebraska Medical Center. For more information, go to UNMC’s Web site at www.unmc.edu.
-30-