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Religious beliefs can interfere with eye treatment
by Scott Gilbreath ~ November 9th, 2008
Patients diagnosed with glaucoma need regularly to self-administer eye drops for months or years. Adherents of some of the world’s major religions refuse to use eye drops when fasting is required or expected. Medical researchers have undertaken a study to gain some insight into the extent to which religious scruples may compromise compliance among glaucoma patients.
Researchers led by Nishant Kumar, MBBS, of the University Hospital, Liverpool, UK, studied patient compliance in relation to fasting by analyzing 350 surveys completed by members of the worlds’ major faiths: Islam, Hinduism, Jainism, Christianity, Judaism, Bahai, and Buddhism (50 surveys per religion)—the first study of its kind, the researchers believe. Population reports show that approximately 20 percent of the world’s people are Muslim and about 15 percent are Hindu; fasting is important to both religions. It is mandatory during the daylight hours of the month of Ramadan for Muslims; for Hindus fasting is generally voluntary.
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In the new survey, the majority of patients self-identified as Hindus, Muslims and Jains stated that the use of eye drops during their fasting hours would break their fast, and therefore they would not use drops while fasting. However, these patient groups said they would be more likely to use drops while fasting for painful eye conditions or if vision was affected. The majority of Christian, Buddhist, Bahai and Jewish survey respondents did not believe that using drops would break their fasts, and stated that they would use eye drops during their fasting periods.
Obviously, glaucoma patients who diminish or stop use of eye drops for extended periods risk permanent damage to their eyesight.
Dr Kumar’s study, while suggestive, is based on a relatively small sample of 50 patients per religion, so caution in interpreting the results would be advisable until it is corroborated by larger studies.
Another recent study found that fasting by pregnant women during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan is associated with increased likelihood of low birthweight babies.
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