Religion and Culture

Joshua Hordern, 'Culture and Religion' in John Saunders (ed.), Ethics and Communication Skills, Medicine, October 2016, Volume 44, Issue 10, Pages 589–592

Open Access - available here

Abstract: Religion, belief and culture should be recognized as potential sources of moral purpose and personal strength in healthcare, enhancing the welfare of both clinicians and patients amidst the experience of ill-health, healing, suffering and dying. Communication between doctors and patients and between healthcare staff should attend sensitively to the welfare benefits of religion, belief and culture. Doctors should respect personal religious and cultural commitments, taking account of their significance for treatment and care preferences. Good doctors understand their own beliefs and those of others. They hold that patient welfare is best served by understanding the importance of religion, belief and culture to patients and colleagues. The sensitive navigation of differences between people's religions, beliefs and cultures is part of doctors' civic obligations and in the UK should follow the guidance of the General Medical Council and Department of Health. In particular, apparent conflict between clinical judgement or normal practices and a patient's culture, religion and belief should be considered carefully. Doctors' own religion or culture may play an important role in promoting adherence to this good practice. In all matters, doctors' conduct should be governed by the law and arrangements for conscientious objection that are in effect.

This work was undertaken by Joshua Hordern and was funded by the Sir Halley Stewart Trust. The views expressed within this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Trust. The author gratefully acknowledges this funding and that of the University of Oxford Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund (grant reference number 105605/Z/14/Z ).