Abstract

DO.26.02

Culture and disease: Incidence and morbidity of culturally influenced eye diseases – observations from two GCC populations

Alexander A. Bialasiewicz1,2, Radha Shenoy1,3, Habiba M. Al-Belushi1, Katharina A. Breidenbach2
1Department of Ophthalmology and School of Ophthalmic Technicians, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
2Department of Ophthalmology, Al Ahli Specialty Teaching Hospital, Doha, Qatar
3Department of Ophthalmology, Armed Forces Hospital, Muscat, Oman

Objective
Tradition and religion are absolute elements of culture, in contrast to fast-changing lifestyles, opinions and fashions, and the distribution of morbidity and the incidence of diseases as well as the conscientiousness for diseases
Methods
835 patients (275 from Oman, 560 from Qatar), in whom an interactive Evaluable patterns of behavior of 275 patients from Oman and 560 from Qatar, which influence the morbdity (severity) and incidence (frequency) of eye diseases were classified according to religious beliefs and tradition.
Results
Morbidity: Diabetes mellitus: Rejection of autoinvasive forms of treatment, non-compliance during Ramadhan, traditional date abuse as aphrodisiac.  49 of 76 patients (65%) with vitreoretinal diseases in Oman and 21 of 37 patients (57%) in Qatar who showed the above mentioned behavior patterns were uncontrolled diabetics featuring a mean HbA1c of 11.5% resp. 10.5%. Consent taking: Rejection of the preoperative consent taking procedure in a Western medicolegal sense. 85 patients (31%) in Oman and 15 (2.27%) in Qatar felt that the consent taking was not in accordance with their religion resp. belief. Resulting morbidities were estimated as surgical complications per disease. Incidence: Traditional abuse of heavy metal containing kohol for trachoma and mascara is complicated by its retrociliary application. Successive episodes and chronic meibomitis, together with chalazia and treatment resistant secondary sicca-syndrome was identified in 33/51 (64.7%) patients with meibomitis in Oman and 37/57 (64.9%) patients in Qatar.
Conclusions
The cultural impact on important diseases, decision making and treatment performance in patients from GC countries is prevalent, and intrinsically difficult to modify.

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