Cultural influences in the aetiological beliefs of Saudi Arabian primary care patients about their symptoms: The association of religious and psychological beliefs

被引:15
作者
Alqahtani, Mohammed M. [1 ]
Salmon, Peter [2 ]
机构
[1] King Khalid Univ Hosp, Dept Psychol, Abha 61411, Saudi Arabia
[2] Univ Liverpool, Fac Med, Dept Clin Psychol, Liverpool L69 3BX, Merseyside, England
关键词
aetiological beliefs; religious beliefs; supernatural beliefs; primary care; Saudi Arabia;
D O I
10.1007/s10943-008-9163-4
中图分类号
R1 [预防医学、卫生学];
学科分类号
1004 ; 120402 ;
摘要
Objective To develop a self-report questionnaire to measure the beliefs of Arabic primary care patients about the causes of their physical symptoms; to use this to quantify the beliefs of patients consulting their general practitioners (GPs) in Saudi Arabia; and to test whether patients with psychological problems differ from others in their beliefs, particularly religious and supernatural beliefs. Methods Consecutive patients (N = 224) completed a specially developed aetiological beliefs' questionnaire. Patients were divided into two groups (cases and non-cases of emotional disorder) according to the GHQ-12. Results Religious and supernatural aspects of culture colour patients' symptom beliefs: that their symptoms were a test or punishment from Allah' was the most common belief. Even in non-cases, around half the patients also endorsed nerves and stress as a cause of their physical symptoms. Cases were more likely than non-cases to endorse items related to both religious and psychological factors. Conclusion There is no support for the view that Saudi Arabian patients explain symptoms supernaturally as a way of denying psychological factors. GPs and health professionals in Saudi primary care need to understand what patients believe to be the cause of their problems and to appreciate that religious and psychological beliefs are both very common. GPs should address psychological beliefs and concerns even with those patients who present physical symptoms.
引用
收藏
页码:302 / 313
页数:12
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