Prayer for a Worldly Society

Background: Traditional health practices are observed by mothers in every region of the world with varying frequency. They often get influenced by their peers and elders and follow some potentially harmful practices during their childbearing period. Aim: To identify and describe various traditional beliefs and practices observed during pregnancy among mothers at South Goa District Hospital. Methods: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study. It was conducted over a period of 3 months (March-May 2019) among postnatal mothers by interviewing study participants about various cultural beliefs and practices observed during pregnancy. Data were entered into an Excel spreadsheet and analysed using SPSS version 22. Results: Nearly two-thirds of the study participants (68.75%) avoided going outdoors and laid in bed during an eclipse while 42.5% avoided sleeping on the abdomen or slept in the left lateral position to avoid birth defects in babies. To predict the sex of the baby, 12.5% of the mothers believed that if a pregnant lady craves sweet food, it’s a girl and if she craves sour/ salty food, it’s a boy while 11.5% believed that if a pregnant woman is carrying low, it’s a boy. With respect to food taboos, 53.75% of the mothers believed in avoiding ‘hot’ foods and eating ‘cold’ foods during pregnancy. Conclusion: The study highlights the popular traditional childbearing practices observed among mothers as a means of creating awareness among health professionals in order to discourage possible harmful practices and promote beneficial practices for a safe and healthy pregnancy.

Having children is a substantial part of cultural identity in our society. From past till now, various customs, traditions and beliefs have been applied, especially during pre-pregnancy and pregnancy period in Anatolia. Some of them are still in practice and effective. However, all these practices to have children are applied generally to women, and there are few practices applied on men regarding the elimination of infertility because women are regarded as responsible for not having children in Anatolia. In this compilation, the traditional beliefs and practices applied before and during pregnancy in Anatolia are explained. National and international articles on this subject are analysed by using keywords in Google academic database. As a result, it is found that some practices negatively affect both the mother’s and child’s health. So, awareness on this subject should be raised, unhealthy practices and beliefs should be discussed and changed, and beneficial ones should be supported.Keywords: Traditional practices, intercultural nursing, traditional beliefs, pregnancy, culture.

This study examines whether traditional health beliefs and practices of black Americans reported in the literature were consistent with those of a target population of low-income black women in Los Angeles County and describes how these traditional classifications of illness and healing practices were related to their understanding of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). A qualitative approach was used to gather the data in unstructured interviews. Content analysis was used to classify data. Sources of illness and remedies identified by the women were divided into two categories: natural and supernatural. Natural sources included cold, impurities, diet, weakness, lack of moderation, and stress. Supernatural sources included illnesses allowed by God, witchcraft, and evil influences. Remedies included antidotes, food, medicines, prayer, and healing. Analysis of the relationship of AIDS to traditional beliefs revealed that AIDS had been integrated into the traditional conceptualization of illness, health practices, and healing, and was attributed to both natural and supernatural causes. Prevention, prayer, and spiritual healing were recommended as remedies. Implications were that AIDS education, prevention, and treatment programs be within the context of traditional belief system.

Perinatal Beliefs and Practices of Immigrant Punjabi Women Living in Canada

The study assessed indigenous practices and beliefs on the conservation of natural resources in Oju Local Government Area of Benue State. Purposeful and simple random sampling was applied to determine the study sample and thus a sample size of 118 was used for the study. The findings revealed that majority of the respondents were male (75.4%) while 24.6% were female. The indigenous and traditional beliefs in the protection of natural resources in the area is reflected in a variety of their practices which included sacred groves and sacred landscapes, construction of masquerades and other traditional artifacts, reflecting greatly the population of the forest resources. The most conserved fauna and flora species identified were; Smutsia gigantea, Elgaria coerulea, Ceyx erithaca, Milvus aegyptius, Centropus steerii and Ophiophagus hannah; Vitellaria paradoxa, Khaya grandifoliola and Abies balsamea. Major challenges identified were; lack of inclusion by governance institution with (98.7%), followed by adoption of other religious beliefs with (97.5%), poaching/illegal logging and population growth/urbanization (91.5%), perception of idolatry (88.9%), Bush fires (89.8%) while frequent use of herbs for traditional medicine (83.1%) had the least percentage. On the ways of improvement was awareness creation had the highest proportion (33.9%), followed by attitudinal change (30.5%), while resource allocation to traditional leaders and integration of traditional conservation in formal resource conservation had the least proportion of 17.8%. It was concluded that traditional practices and beliefs if well managed will enhanced proper conservation and management of natural resources. The study thus recommended that, institutions responsible for conservation of natural resources should be positioned for effective performance and service delivery. Government should have monitoring agents that will help in ensuring natural resource conservation.

Cultural beliefs are important determinants of health care behaviours. Nurses have an important influence on infant feeding decisions and maternal postpartum care, but little is known about the extent to which their practice is influenced by traditional beliefs and/or recent innovations driven by evidence-based research. The aim of this study was to investigate Thai nurses' traditional beliefs about breastfeeding and related postpartum care, and their impact on nursing practice. A survey of 372 nurses working in hospitals and health services in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand was undertaken. Questionnaire items were developed from a review of the literature and exploratory interviews with Thai women. Descriptive statistics were used to represent the incidence of particular beliefs and behaviours. Chi-square analyses were conducted to determine relationships between demographic characteristics and traditional beliefs and practices. There were discrepancies between nurses' beliefs and contemporary evidence-based practices. Many nurses supported traditional Thai postpartum practices such as food restrictions and encouraging hot baths. Some traditional beliefs supported by nurses may be detrimental to women and babies such as "lying by fire", discarding of colostrum, and giving boiled water to neonates. Only half the nurses reported that they encouraged mothers to breastfeed immediately following birth. The study was undertaken in the North-East of Thailand, where the population is known to have strong belief systems. Reliability and content validity of the tool would be enhanced through replication studies and qualitative investigations of other breastfeeding issues. There is a need for professional development strategies such as peer review and mentoring to address inadequate knowledge and outdated practices of some health professionals, as well as continuity of care models to assess quality care outcomes that are culturally appropriate.

BackgroundThe assumption of a link between common symptoms such as febrile illness, diarrhea and the eruption of primary teeth has been established over many centuries. According to traditional beliefs in Ethiopia, diarrhea and fever at the time of milk teeth eruption may be due to a worm in the child’s gums. Current medical observations show little more than restlessness, drooling, and finger sucking resulting from teething. The purpose of this research was to assess mothers’ traditional beliefs and practices towards teething symptoms.MethodsA cross-sectional descriptive study design was used with the convenience sampling technique. Mothers were approached at the pediatric Out Patient Department (OPD) of Jimma University Specialized Hospital, southwest Ethiopia. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The data were analyzed by SPSS (version 20).ResultsA total of 107 mothers were interviewed. Ninety-eight (91.6%) claimed that teething was associated with various symptoms. Ninety-seven (90.7%) attributed diarrhea to teething. Only one mother said she would give her child Paracetamol to relieve the teething symptoms. Five (4.7%) mothers said they would allow their children to bite on a pacifier. Ten mothers (9.3%) said that they would prefer the child’s milk tooth to be extracted. Some of the practices by mothers to relieve the symptoms include rubbing the gum of the child with garlic (12.1%) or rubbing the gum with herbs (6.5%).ConclusionsMost of the mothers had misconceptions about the symptoms that usually appear during teething. Health education should be provided by dentists and professionals concerned with child care in correcting these misconceptions and cultural beliefs about teething symptoms.

Individual’s academic success may be affected by personal and social dimensions of life. Self-esteem and study habits are that dimensions in life that have influential effects on academic achievement. Thus, this study was conducted to determine if there is a significant relationship between self-esteem, study habits and the academic performance of 151 students from the College of Business. This study utilized the descriptive and correlational designs. Using stratified sampling, the questionnaires were administered to a sample of 151 business students. The descriptive results revealed that the business students have high self-esteem, good study habits, and average academic performance (GPA=3.31). Using Pearson’s correlation, a significant relationship was found between self-esteem and academic performance and between study habits and academic performance in terms of reading textbooks, taking notes and using resources. It was recommended that educators should encourage and cheer up students, raise their spirits when they are down, and congratulate them when they are doing well. Educators should find activities that will motivate students to study harder to improve their academic performance.

Background and Objectives: There is a growing tendency among some Muslims to neglect the obligatory five daily prayers, despite their fundamental status and unique virtues. One such virtue is evident in the way the prayer was prescribed during the Isra Mi’raj event, where the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) received the command directly from Allah. This study aims to clarify the linkage between prayer and Isra Mi’raj, emphasizing how internalizing the event’s implied messages can enhance one’s prayer quality (khushū’). Methodology: This is a qualitative library-based study that analyzes classical and contemporary Islamic sources, especially fiqh-oriented tafsīr, as well as previous research. The collected data were examined thematically to uncover the spiritual dimensions of prayer influenced by the Isra Mi’raj narrative. Main Results: The findings suggest that neglect in performing prayers often stems from a limited understanding of their spiritual significance. By appreciating the extraordinary context of the Isra Mi’raj—where prayer was commanded without an intermediary—believers can deepen their spiritual connection, leading to more focus and humility in performing prayers. Research Contribution: This study provides a conceptual framework linking the Isra Mi’raj narrative to the inner dimensions of prayer. Such insights can serve as a reference in religious education and spiritual development programs, encouraging a view of prayer not as a mere ritual duty but as a profound spiritual encounter. Conclusions: Grasping the meaningful lessons behind Isra Mi’raj enriches the believer’s prayer experience, promoting a consistent, heartfelt, and morally transformative adherence to this core Islamic obligation

Acculturation may influence diet pattern, a risk factor for cardiometabolic disease. We assessed whether strength of traditional cultural beliefs and practices, a robust measure of acculturation, affects diet pattern among South Asians in America. With data from the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) cohort, we used ordinal logistic regression to assess the association between strength of traditional cultural beliefs, 6 cultural practices and diet pattern. Of 892 participants, 47% were women. Weaker traditional cultural beliefs [OR(95%CI) 1.07(1.04,1.10)] and cultural practices (p < 0.05) were associated with consuming more of the Animal Protein dietary pattern and less [0.95(0.93,0.97)] of the Fried snacks, Sweets, High-fat dairy (FSHD) pattern (P < 0.05). South Asians in America with stronger traditional cultural beliefs and practices were more likely to consume the FSHD pattern. Prevention programs may consider dietary pattern modification as part of comprehensive risk reduction in South Asians.

Introduction: This study aims to assess the opinions on the traditional beliefs and practices of university students from different disciplines who will complete community education in future as a part of their job and who are in the last year of their education. Materials-Methods: 242 students who were in the last year of the faculty of Education, Health Sciences (Nursing and Midwifery) and Medicine were included in the study between 15 March and 15 June 2016. Socio-demographic characteristics form and Non-functional Beliefs and Practices Scale were used for this purpose. Results: It was detected that 54.4 % of the Education Faculty students used traditional beliefs to relieve pain (p<0.001). When the scores of the subscales were calculated, it was determined that there is a statistically significant difference between the faculties in terms of both scale sub-scores and total scores (p<0.001). When the total scale scores are analyzed, the lowest score again belongs to FE (242.45 ± 27.00) while the highest score is FM (270.73 ± 13.47). Conclusion: The acceptance rate of the traditional beliefs and practices decreased with the increase in the level of health education.

Preserving and promoting religious cultural heritage is a highly practical endeavor, as religion not only embodies both tangible and intangible cultural values but also plays a crucial role in maintaining the cultural identity of ethnic communities. This study aims to examine the current practices of preserving religious cultural heritage in Vietnam’s Central Highlands and to propose future directions for enhancing these efforts. Methodology: The study employs a qualitative research approach, combining document analysis with field observations. It focuses on the distinctive religious characteristics of ethnic minority groups in the Central Highlands, particularly their traditional polytheistic and animistic beliefs. Findings: The findings reveal both strengths and limitations in the current preservation efforts. While some traditional practices and religious spaces have been maintained, challenges persist, such as limited policy enforcement, insufficient community engagement, and the influence of socio-economic changes on traditional beliefs and rituals. Value: This research contributes to the academic discourse on heritage conservation by emphasizing the dual importance of protecting cultural identity and ensuring religious freedom. It aligns with the consistent policies of the Communist Party of Vietnam regarding the respect and protection of religious and cultural diversity. Conclusion: The article concludes that culturally sensitive, community-based strategies are essential for preserving religious cultural heritage in the Central Highlands. These approaches must address both the spiritual and material dimensions of heritage, particularly in the context of rapid modernization and globalization.

In this paper, we examine the relationship between traditional beliefs, practices, and attitudes towards sexual behaviours, including homosexuality, non-marital sex, prostitution, polygamy, and divorce, in 26 Muslim communities across Africa, Asia, and Europe. While religiosity consistently correlates with traditional attitudes — rejecting homosexuality, non-marital sex, and prostitution while accepting polygamy — traditional beliefs, such as witchcraft and the evil eye, exhibit more complex and sometimes contradictory effects. For instance, belief in witchcraft associates with greater disapproval of polygamy, while belief in the acceptability of sorcery under Islam correlates with greater acceptance. These findings reveal significant variation in attitudes even within a religiously homogeneous sample, suggesting that religiosity and traditional beliefs influence sexual norms in distinct ways. This study underscores the importance of moving beyond religion to capture the broader cultural and traditional mindsets shaping attitudes. It calls for further research to better understand the conflicting and multifaceted impacts of tradition on social norms, particularly regarding sexuality.

Traditional Natural Resources Management Practices and Biodiversity Conservation in Ghana: A Review of Local Concepts and Issues on Change and Sustainability

This study explores traditional postpartum care practices among practitioners in Malaysia, focusing on techniques, dietary practices, and the role of education and certification in ensuring effective care. It aims to understand how these practices, deeply rooted in cultural and historical beliefs, contribute to maternal recovery during the postnatal period. The findings reveal that traditional practices, including hot stone compression, postpartum massage, body wrapping, vaginal steam baths, and herbal remedies, are widely utilized to promote healing and restore physical and mental health after childbirth. Dietary practices align with traditional beliefs emphasizing "hot" foods for recovery and modern approaches focusing on balanced nutrition. Practitioners' knowledge, often inherited or formally trained, plays a critical role in maintaining the efficacy and safety of these methods. Certifications such as SKM and DKM ensure professionalism, while modern adaptations like saunas offer safer alternatives to certain traditional techniques. Traditional postpartum care practices in Malaysia significantly aid maternal recovery by integrating cultural wisdom and modern healthcare standards. While these methods remain vital for physical and emotional well-being, further emphasis on formal training and safety enhancements can help sustain their relevance in contemporary healthcare settings. This study underscores the importance of blending tradition with innovation to improve maternal health outcomes.