The role of religious leaders and faith organisations in haemoglobinopathies: a review

Toni-Uebari, Thelma K; Inusa, Baba

doi:10.1186/1471-2326-9-6

Cited by 23 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…The involvement of religious leaders in health-related interventions has generally been found to improve the participation of their congregations in these interventions and thus promote positive health outcomes [3]. To reach a high level of vaccination coverage worldwide, organizations such as Unicef now advocate enhancing trust in immunization by, among other things, seeking partnership with religious leaders and groups [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of religious leaders in promoting acceptance of vaccination within a minority group: a qualitative study

et al. 2013

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BackgroundAlthough childhood vaccination programs have been very successful, vaccination coverage in minority groups may be considerably lower than in the general population. In order to increase vaccination coverage in such minority groups involvement of faith-based organizations and religious leaders has been advocated. We assessed the role of religious leaders in promoting acceptance or refusal of vaccination within an orthodox Protestant minority group with low vaccination coverage in The Netherlands.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with orthodox Protestant religious leaders from various denominations, who were selected via purposeful sampling. Transcripts of the interviews were thematically analyzed, and emerging concepts were assessed for consistency using the constant comparative method from grounded theory.ResultsData saturation was reached after 12 interviews. Three subgroups of religious leaders stood out: those who fully accepted vaccination and did not address the subject, those who had religious objections to vaccination but focused on a deliberate choice, and those who had religious objections to vaccination and preached against vaccination. The various approaches of the religious leaders seemed to be determined by the acceptance of vaccination in their congregation as well as by their personal point of view. All religious leaders emphasized the importance of voluntary vaccination programs and religious exemptions from vaccination requirements. In case of an epidemic of a vaccine preventable disease, they would appreciate a dialogue with the authorities. However, they were not willing to promote vaccination on behalf of authorities.ConclusionReligious leaders’ attitudes towards vaccination vary from full acceptance to clear refusal. According to orthodox Protestant church order, local congregation members appoint their religious leaders themselves. Obviously they choose leaders whose views are compatible with the views of the congregation members. Moreover, the positions of orthodox Protestant religious leaders on vaccination will not change easily, as their objections to vaccination are rooted in religious doctrine and they owe their authority to their interpretation and application of this doctrine. Although the dialogue with religious leaders that is pursued by the Dutch government may be helpful in controlling epidemics by other means than vaccination, it is unlikely to increase vaccination coverage.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of religious leaders in promoting acceptance of vaccination within a minority group: a qualitative study

et al. 2013

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“…These are also important within the context of culture and religion because health beliefs and attitudes of the general public have a significant impact on outcomes, and community leaders substantially influence reproductive decisions made by individuals and families (Bhogal and Brunger 2010;Toni-Uebari and Inusa 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Community engagement to inform the development of a sickle cell counselor training and certification program in Ghana

et al. 2016

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Sickle cell disease (SCD) and sickle cell trait (SCT) are highly prevalent in Africa. Despite public health implications, there is limited understanding of community issues for implementing newborn screening and appropriate family counseling. We conducted a 3-day workshop in Kumasi, Ghana, with community leaders as lay program development advisors to assist the development and implementation of a Sickle Cell Counselor Training and Certification Program. We employed qualitative methods to understand cultural, religious, and psychosocial dimensions of SCD and SCT, including the advisors' attitudes and beliefs in relation to developing a culturally sensitive approach to family education and counseling that is maximally suited to diverse communities in Ghana. We collated advisors' discussions and observations in order to understand community issues and potential challenges and guide strategies for advocacy in SCD family education and counseling. Results from the workshop revealed that community leaders representing diverse communities in Ghana were engaged constructively in discussions about developing a culturally sensitive counselor training program.

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“…A faith‐secular partnership may be seen in the use of British churches as sites for health screening and education (Hicks ; Warlow ). Britain's church or mosque sites are used by both private and public NHS health‐care providers to promote increased public health surveillance and/or education across the life span about various health risks (Toni‐Uebari and Inusa ). In short, despite the presence of the single‐payer, government‐run health‐care system in the United Kingdom, religion continues to make its presence felt in various ways that fit our conceptual scheme.…”

Section: Religion In Uk Healthcarementioning

confidence: 99%

Religion in Public Health‐Care Institutions: U.S. and U.K. Perspectives

Idler

Kellehear

2017

Scientific Study of Religion

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In this article, we consider the role that religion plays in the health‐care institutions of the United States and the United Kingdom. Religion has played a significant role in the development of health‐care institutions in both countries and continues to be present in them in important ways. To capture the range of involvement of religious groups in various sectors of the health‐care institution, we propose a continuum for their relationship, from completely merged identities at one end (“faith‐saturated”) to entirely separate ones at the other (“faith‐secular partnerships”). Versions of this scheme have appeared in both U.S. and U.K. reports that describe the faith component of faith‐based organizations that work in global contexts. We apply this framework to identify specific U.S. and U.K. exemplars, finding that examples of all types exist in both societies, despite the more secular nature of the United Kingdom. Accurately characterizing the relationship between religion and public health‐care institutions can inform future policy and research.

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The role of religious leaders and faith organisations in haemoglobinopathies: a review

Cited by 23 publications

References 26 publications

The role of religious leaders in promoting acceptance of vaccination within a minority group: a qualitative study

The role of religious leaders in promoting acceptance of vaccination within a minority group: a qualitative study

Community engagement to inform the development of a sickle cell counselor training and certification program in Ghana

Religion in Public Health‐Care Institutions: U.S. and U.K. Perspectives

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