The Nurse or Midwife at the Crossroads of Caring for Patients With Suicidal and Rigid Religious Ideations in Africa

Abstract

Nurses and midwives are the majority of healthcare professionals globally, including Africa, and they provide care at all levels of the health system including community levels. Nurses and midwives contribute to the care of patients with rigid or dogmatic religious beliefs or those with suicidal ideations. This review paper discusses acute and chronic diseases that have suicidal tendencies such as terminal cancer, diseases with excruciating pain, physical disability, stroke, end-stage renal failure, and diabetics who are amputated. It was reiterated that nurses and midwives taking care of these patients should be alert and observant to identify their suicidal tendencies. The paper also discusses religious or spiritual inclinations that negatively affect healthcare access and adherence, especially to biomedical or western medicine. It was emphasized that some religious beliefs do not allow their followers to employ biomedical treatment and nurses and midwives should not impose their faith on patients and their families. The paper ends with a discussion on the specific roles of nurses and midwives in the care of patients with suicidal ideations such as assessment, counseling, administering medication, observation, social interaction, ensuring safety measures, and providing an enabling environment for the family to part of the care and for the observation of religious coping strategies. Nurses and midwives should enhance their knowledge and skills on suicide and increase public education on suicide prevention and identification of those at risk.

The relationship between trust, belief and adherence among patients who complain of hypertension in Ghana

“…The increasing rates of hypertension calls for a comprehensive approach to manage the condition as well as the complications associated with it (Atibila, Hoor, et al, 2021; Atibila, Ten Hoor, et al, 2021). The allopathic care model for hypertension involves pharmacological and non‐pharmacological strategies (Atibila, Hoor, et al, 2021; Aziato et al, 2021; Konlan, Armah‐mensah, et al, 2020; WHO, 2020). The pharmacological approach is also known as the drug approach and involves using anti‐hypertensive drugs like beta‐blockers, beta‐blockers with intrinsic sympathomimetic activity, alpha‐1 blockers, combined alpha and beta‐blockers, vasodilators and angiotensin II receptor blocker (Nyaaba et al, 2018; Tibazarwa & Damasceno, 2014; WHO, 2020).…”

“…This figure is expected to increase to over two billion in 2025 (Atibila et al, 2018, Atibila, Ten Hoor, et al, 2021; Konlan, Pwavra, et al, 2022; Nyaaba et al, 2018). In sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA), hypertension is now at epidemic levels and results in major complications which burden the under‐resourced healthcare system (Atibila, Hoor, et al, 2021; Aziato et al, 2021; de Oliveira‐Filho et al, 2014; Konlan, Afam‐adjei, et al, 2020; Konlan, Armah‐mensah, et al, 2020; Nyaaba et al, 2018). Hypertension is a major cause of heart diseases, stroke, renal failure, peripheral vascular disease and premature mortality and disability in most countries in SSA (Atibila, Ten Hoor, et al, 2021; Bosu, 2015; Konlan, Baku, et al, 2020; Sumaila et al, 2016).…”

“…Belief is a social construct definitive of the level of habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing (Aziato et al, 2021; Lee et al, 2013; Ozawa & Walker, 2011). Believe in something or a practice develops in a person based on a myriad of socio‐cultural factors such as; the social environment of the person, nature of socialization, religious inclinations, educational background, gender, socio‐economic status among others (Bertsou, 2019; Lee et al, 2013; Ozawa & Walker, 2011).…”

“…Belief is a social construct definitive of the level of habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing (Aziato et al, 2021;Lee et al, 2013;Ozawa & Walker, 2011).…”

“…Thus, belief in the allopathic model of healthcare promotes trust-building and ultimately leads to adherence as well as reduction in complications (Elder et al, 2012). Some authors (Aziato et al, 2021;Elder et al, 2012;Nguyen et al, 2009;Piette et al, 2005) have reported that trust is associated with increased treatment adherence in suicide, irritable bowel syndrome therapy, diabetes, cancers and antiretroviral therapy. And that low level of trust is associated with declines in treatment adherence among diabetics (Elder et al, 2012) and patients undergoing care for hypertension (Cuffee et al, 2013) in other jurisdictions but this remains largely undetermined in SSA, a geographical location with high prevalence of hypertension.…”