Health Care and the Arab Client

Medical Care

Arab culture emphasizes maintaining good health.Ê They place high value in modern medicine and the medical profession, which could explain why they will not wait long to seek professional help.Ê They tend to listen very carefully to the health care providerâs advice, warnings, and explanations.Ê They are also very anxious to receive medications but once symptoms have improved many patients will stop taking the prescribed medications.

Social Customs

Family caring behaviors are the defining characteristics of Arab culture.Ê They highly value the presence of family members at time of family crisis.Ê During a medical appointment it is common for a family member to stay with the client and help answer questions about the clientâs health.

Privacy

Some Arabs are reluctant to share detailed information about themselves to strangers.Ê They tend to give as little information as possible.Ê Sexual problems are especially hard for Arab clients to deal with.

Women may feel more comfortable with women doctors for sexual problems because female purity, chastity, and modesty are held in such high regard.Ê A woman who is physically exposed to a male outside cultural norms will bring shame to the family.

Communication Barriers

Language is a major barrier between health care and Arab clients.Ê Arab clients who cannot speak English usually bring a friend or relative to appointments to serve as an interpreter.Ê They will accept the presence of a professional interpreter and may look to them for support and advice.

Maternal Health

It is highly recommended that midwives see pregnant Arab women because they play an important role in childbirth in the Arab world.Ê During the delivery female family members and friends surround the woman.Ê After the childbirth women have a 40-day period of rest, seclusion, and rituals.Ê These 40 days are a period of time in which the infant and mother are vulnerable to illness and death.Ê It is no until they have survived the 40-days that they are fully incorporated as members of their societies.

Home Remedies

Elders are most commonly summoned for support and medical advice and may recommend home remedies, such as:

• Wrap a newborn in several blankets to straighten the backbone
• Bandage the head with a cotton cloth to alleviate headache
• Use cold compresses and cold baths to alleviate fever
• Drink plenty of fluids to relieve flu and abdominal pain
• Drink boiled grain water to help remove kidney stones
• To treat muscle pain, massage in warm soapy water, then rub with oil, and wrap in cloth for warmth
• Consume fresh fruit, sugar, maple syrup, and honey to ease sore throat

Suggestions

• Doctors need to build trust with clients in order to get all the information needed for proper diagnosis
• If no medications are given the doctor should explain why
• Doctors should explain all reasons for lab testing
• Space should be provided for religious practices
• Recruit/employ/train Arabic English translators
• Create client literature and signs in areas where large number of Arabic clients are served
• Do Not Stereotype (You cannot look at somebody and assume that they are a traditional Arab)

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