Lebanese and Middle Eastern Cultural Beliefs Regarding Health Care

The Lebanese and the overall middle easterners are known to be strict to their cultural beliefs and practices. Such beliefs and practices dictate every aspect of their lives and how they interact with other people from other cultures across the world as well as other aspects of life that are widely applicable in the contemporary world. This culture has a great impact on the structure and nature of health care that is appreciated among the Lebanese and other middle easterners (Shiloh, 2007). It is imperative to understand their cultural perception on care presentation, accommodation, and repatterning to offer a more effective healthcare under this cultural setting.

The Lebanese have a unique perception on culture care presentation. The cultural practices in Lebanon emphasize the importance of both nuclear and extended families. Moreover, the family members rely heavily on each other. During illnesses, the family members offer the primary care and support to the sick (Lipson & Melei, 2005). Therefore, this culture appreciates a healthcare framework that includes family members in the delivery of healthcare. For instance, a patient will always be accompanied by an elderly family member to the hospital. Such a member will expect to accompany the patient to the examination room and may often answer questions on behalf of the patient. Therefore, they view on culture care presentation is that it must be presented in a way that appreciates the role of family members.

Secondly, the Lebanese have cultural demands that must be accommodated within the healthcare system. For instance, while they appreciate the fact that germs can cause diseases, they hold this fact alongside their cultural beliefs of evil eye from people who do not wish them well in causing diseases (Shiloh, 2007). Further, critical care information cannot be delivered to a patient in the absence of their family member. They believe that critical healthcare information must be delivered to a prominent member of the family. Moreover, the Lebanese and other middle easterners appreciate a more personalized approach to health care. A healthcare practitioner who is accepted with the patient’s family will receive more support in his engagement with the patient. Therefore, they prefer professionalism to be integrated with a personal relationship with the patient and the family (Lipson & Melei, 2005). A caregiver working within the Lebanese culture should accommodate social relationships in his or her professional practice if he or she is to be effective.

Lastly, the Lebanese, as well as other Middle Eastern cultures, have a cultural idea on how culture care should be repatterned or restructured to meet their cultural care needs. First, they prefer building trust alongside professionalism. Therefore, health care within this culture should be restructured so that one caregiver is consistently involved in offering primary healthcare to members of a given family. From their cultural perception, this helps them build personal relationship and trust with their caregiver over time (Lipson & Melei, 2005). The component of trust and personal relationship is critical in their cultural idealized healthcare structure. Secondly, this cultural framework requires that the caregiver should reach out to friends and acquaintances of the patient when no family member can be found. Lastly, they hold the view that a healthcare system must be remodeled to include cultural negotiators that help in cases of conflicts between cultural beliefs and professionalism.

In summation, Lebanese have a formed cultural view on healthcare presentation where negotiation and collaboration. This view is rapidly shaping the nature of healthcare not only in Lebanon but also in the entire Middle East. They also value working with one physician for as long as possible instead of hanging them occasionally.


References
Shiloh A. (2007). “The Interaction Between the Middle Eastern and Western Systems of Medicine.” Soc Sci Med. 2, 235-24
Lipson J. & Melei A. (2005). “Issues in health care of Middle Eastern patients.” The Western Journal of Medicine, 139(6), 854-861.