Friday 28 August 2009

I love the NHS but not their Ramadan health FAQs

The health care debate taking place in my homeland right now is immensely important. The outcome will affect all 300 million Americans, especially the 46 million that are uninsured, and if reform doesn't pass now, we probably won't get another shot at it for another decade or two.

It's also important to me, personally, as I do hope to repatriate one day. I am absolutely pro-reform and I find two aspects of the debate particularly infuriating:
  1. the spread of outright lies about the proposed reforms by the small but very screechy anti-reform camp (debunked here), including the slinging of vast quantities of mud across the Atlantic at the UK's National Health Service
  2. the sheer number of Americans--64%--who 'don't want to pay more taxes to expand health coverage to the uninsured'
As an American living in the UK, I feel it is my particular duty to counter the misinformation about the NHS that is circulating in the States right now. I've been counter-circulating as much information and testimonials by email and facebook as I can, and even have an 'I [heart] NHS' twibbon on my twitter avatar as a sign of my support.

I do, by the way. [Heart] the NHS, that is. It is difficult to overemphasize the peace of mind it gives me that those I love and I will never be unexpectedly refused coverage as a result of some policy small print about, for example, pre-existing conditions, nor financially ruined by a health problem. What a relief it is to be able to go to the doctor without having to fill out any forms or make any co-payments. Oh, and prescriptions are either free or £6.95 depending on whether you are capable of paying. I could go on but that's not what this post is about, and others have said it much better than me.

This post is about something the NHS did that has me pretty irked. I know, I know, given all of the above, maybe now isn't the best time to point out flaws in the NHS, but to that I say: a) this flaw has nothing to do with the general premise of the NHS or the health care they provide and b) I think it's right to be honest even when it's not politically expedient. Ahem.

So. The NHS has this website called 'Healthy Ramadan' which offers advice on staying healthy if you happen to have chosen to observe the daylight fasting that is part of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Of course, the word 'chosen' is tricky because it's difficult to quantify the extent to which religious indoctrination limits one's perceived if not real choices, but I digress.

The site seems like a pretty good idea: there are pages containing general advice on healthy fasting, suggestions on what to eat and what not to eat, and even a suggested meal plan. There's also an important section that lists the health risks that can be associated with fasting, and the site urges people to use Ramadan as an opportunity to quit smoking.

But then we get to the page, 'Ramadan health FAQs'. This page got my hackles up immediately with its introductory note that explains that 'the answers have been put together by medical experts and Islamic scholars and researchers'. I can see why Islamic scholars and researchers might help with devising the questions - after all, they are the experts on what the likely FAQs are going to be. But why should they be involved with putting together the answers? This is supposed to be health advice. It should come from the medical experts alone.

The first several Q&As about diabetes, migraines and blood pressure were okay, I suppose, though I was a little uncomfortable with how the questions were worded: each one was based around the question, 'should I fast?' when they really should have asked, 'is it alright to fast?' because then the answer would be less likely to be interpreted as prescriptive rather than permissive. But then I got to this one:

Is fasting harmful when a woman is expecting a baby? Must pregnant women fast?

There's medical evidence to show that fasting in pregnancy is not a good idea. If a pregnant woman feels strong and healthy enough to fast, especially during the early part of the pregnancy, she may do so. If she doesn't feel well enough to fast, Islamic law gives her clear permission not to fast, and to make up the missed fasts later. If she is unable to do this, she must perform fidyah (a method of compensation for a missed act of worship).

Let's just start with the question, shall we? 'Must' should never appear in front of or inside the phrase 'pregnant women fast', and certainly not on a national health service website. In fact the only time those two phrases should ever go together on any kind of government literature is if 'not' is inserted directly after 'must'.

The answer to the question starts out a bit better--using 'may' instead of 'must'--but then it all goes downhill. 'Islamic law gives her permission not to fast...' is useful information, as it may give uncertain women the religious argument they are looking for to give themselves permission not to fast (though of course that opens up a whole can of worms that I'm not going to go into today). But that last sentence is abhorrent. It's missing a big fat 'Islamic law says' before 'she must'. The way it is now, it looks like the NHS is the one telling her that she must perform fidyah!

I suppose one could argue that 'Islamic law' is mentioned in the penultimate sentence and therefore it is meant to indicate that Islamic law, and not the medical establishment, is the authority in both of the final two sentences. And I suppose that if this were the only problem with the website then I might have given them the benefit of the doubt. But two questions later it gets worse, and this time there's no qualifying 'Islamic law says' anywhere to be found:

From what age can children fast safely?

Children are required to fast from the age of puberty. It isn't harmful. Fasting before this age is tolerated differently depending on the child’s general health, nutrition and attitude. Fasting under the age of seven or eight isn't advisable. It is a good idea to make children aware of the practice of fasting and to practise fasting for a few hours at a time.

Look at that first sentence and tell me the NHS--the NHS!--didn't just say that children are required to fast during Ramadan!

The next few Q&As are okay, I suppose. They're about asthma, swimming and blood transfusions and there are occasional qualifiers like 'Muslim experts say...' and 'in their view...'. But I don't like how the answer to the asthma question contains an implication that it's somehow incumbent on Muslims to 'achieve good control' of their asthma ...as if it's some kind of personal failing if your asthma isn't under control. And I don't like that the answer to the transfusion question mandates fidyah with no qualifiers in sight. But I'm passing over these so that I can address this final doozie:

Does a breastfeeding woman have to fast?

No. Islamic law says a breastfeeding mother does not have to fast. Missed fasts must be compensated for by fasting or fidyah once breastfeeding has stopped.

As with the Q&A about pregnancy, the question itself contains an implication that the answer is mandataory rather than permissive. And again, missed fasts 'must' be compensated, no qualifiers, unless you count the one in the first sentence, but at this stage I'm not exactly inclined to give them a pass.

So, all you NHS web content editors out there, would you please do us all a favor and go in there with a red pen and change 'must' and 'should' to 'can' and 'could'? And while you're at it, add a liberal sprinkling of 'Muslim scholars say...' and 'Islamic law says...' before each sentence in which fasting is 'permitted' or fidyah 'suggested'? Oh, and could you please pay particular attention to those Q&As regarding women and children? Because I've noticed that those were most prescriptive and least qualified of all.

I'd do it myself, but I'm hungry.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why can't we all just be civil and respect each others differences and religions. Why do we have to critize and act so hostile? It's very immature and sorry to say ignorant. How much time did you waste writing about something you know nothing about. Please open your mind and learn to respect others. The muslim belief is something you will never understand unless you are born muslim.

Karen James said...

Dear Anonymous, Please can you quote the part of my post that immaturely criticises Islam? My beef is with the NHS here. I criticise the NHS for sloppy language and using 'must' instead of 'can'. All the other sections of Healthy Ramadan are fine by me. This isn't about Islam.

Anonymous said...

As a Muslim and a British health professional I am in support of the information provided by the NHS.
I feel that the NHS has done an excellent job by trying to combine medical advice with the advice of Muslim scholars.
You have to understand that religious people will always discard medical advice if it conflicts with their religious beliefs and obligations. And at least the NHS have tried to make some effort to support the muslim population of Britain.
It may not be perfect (which you give the impression that everything should be) but hey, its better than nothing.

Panic Away said...

The advice about fasting is medically based. It does not have anything to do with religious beliefs, in my opinion, though it may be unwelcome to the ones who have faith in what they are doing.

That is why such an argument can never be resolved. Science and belief cannot see eye to eye. Just my two cents.