Culturally Competent Provision of Obstetric Care in Asia

This session will provide a brief introduction to the Islamic faith, culture, and worldview of health and illness. Particular emphasis will be given to obstetrical and women’s health issues encountered among an unreached people of a Southwest Asian country where the speaker, a Family Nurse Practitioner, is presently involved in ministry. Equipped with a general knowledge about the culture of Islam and the Islamic worldview of health and illness, health care providers are better prepared to interact with their Muslim clients and their families and will be able to provide care that is accepted by the client. This in turn can lead to a decrease in the amount of racial and ethnic disparities that occur in health care in our society today.