Religion

cbayer

(146,218 posts) Thu Jul 9, 2015, 07:53 AM Jul 2015

How Faith Groups Can Help Tackle The World’s Biggest Health Challenges

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2015/07/08/3678295/faith-based-health-care/

BY SAM P.K. COLLINS POSTED ON JULY 8, 2015 AT 4:01 PM

CREDIT: AP PHOTO/ABBAS DULLEH

For people living in the parts of the world with a weak health care infrastructure, the services of faith groups can help meet their medical needs, according to experts writing in the Lancet medical journal this week. Researchers argue that religious groups’ emphasis on service can help close disparities in access to health care when taken beyond the confines of worship halls.

In a paper highlighting various roles religious groups play in improving health outcomes throughout the Third World and the United States’ low-income enclaves, the authors encourage world leaders to embrace those partnerships.

Endeavors highlighted in the piece include the mediation throughout West Africa at the height of the Ebola outbreak, during which faith leaders dissuaded residents from taking part in activities that would spread the disease. The study also mentioned religious organizations’ collaborations with UNICEF to raise childhood immunization rates and create long-standing medical services — including anti-malaria campaigns and maternal and HIV health services.

“Religious groups are major players in the delivery of healthcare, particularly in hard-to-reach and rural areas that are not adequately served by government,” Edward Mills, the author of the study and a senior epidemiologist at Global Evaluative Sciences in Canada, said in a statement to the Associated Press. “It is time for the general medical community to recognize the magnitude of services offered [by faith-based groups] and partner or support [them] to provide long-standing improvements in health,” he added.

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13 replies

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Highlight:

How Faith Groups Can Help Tackle The World’s Biggest Health Challenges (Original Post) cbayer Jul 2015 OP

"faith leaders dissuaded residents from taking part in activities that would spread the disease" trotsky Jul 2015 #1

Religious groups are the major CAUSE of major health epidemics, like HIV AtheistCrusader Jul 2015 #2

So perhaps a better title would have been... trotsky Jul 2015 #3

The Rev. Jesse Jackson at the 1988 Democratic National Convention - pinto Jul 2015 #4

In the case of gay males in the US I doubt the RCC had much of an impact. pinto Jul 2015 #5

"In the case of gay males in the US I doubt the RCC had much of an impact." trotsky Jul 2015 #7

And that has precisely nothing to do with the subject of the OP. AtheistCrusader Jul 2015 #8

I'm going to step out of this. pinto Jul 2015 #11

+1. pinto Jul 2015 #6

Yes, very positive alliances here. cbayer Jul 2015 #9

Like i said in another thread Lordquinton Jul 2015 #10

I would say I hope this leads to positive health access outcomes... Humanist_Activist Jul 2015 #12

There is a huge range of services and degrees to which their religious beliefs cbayer Jul 2015 #13

trotsky

(49,533 posts)

1. "faith leaders dissuaded residents from taking part in activities that would spread the disease"

Reply to cbayer (Original post)

Thu Jul 9, 2015, 08:40 AM

Jul 2015

Funny how they kind of gloss over how those "activities" were religious rituals.

Naw, let's make sure we praise religion for all the wonderful things it does, and never ever acknowledge its role in making problems worse.

AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)

2. Religious groups are the major CAUSE of major health epidemics, like HIV

Reply to cbayer (Original post)

Thu Jul 9, 2015, 02:11 PM

Jul 2015

The RCC's efforts to block and discourage the use of condoms has killed millions.

Trust them to aid with health care? I wouldn't trust them with a dull spork.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/sep/11/bad-science-pope-anti-condom

trotsky

(49,533 posts)

3. So perhaps a better title would have been...

Reply to AtheistCrusader (Reply #2)

Thu Jul 9, 2015, 03:42 PM

Jul 2015

How Faith Groups Can Help Tackle The World’s Biggest Health Challenges Caused by Faith Groups

pinto

(106,886 posts)

4. The Rev. Jesse Jackson at the 1988 Democratic National Convention -

Reply to AtheistCrusader (Reply #2)

Thu Jul 9, 2015, 04:24 PM

Jul 2015

Don't surrender, my friends. Those who have AIDS tonight, you deserve our compassion. Even with AIDS you must not surrender.

In your wheelchairs. I see you sitting here tonight in those wheelchairs. I've stayed with you. I've reached out to you across our Nation. Don't you give up. I know it's tough sometimes. People look down on you. It took you a little more effort to get here tonight. And no one should look down on you, but sometimes mean people do. The only justification we have for looking down on someone is that we're going to stop and pick them up.

But even in your wheelchairs, don't you give up. We cannot forget 50 years ago when our backs were against the wall, Roosevelt was in a wheelchair. I would rather have Roosevelt in a wheelchair than Reagan and Bush on a horse. (Applause) Don't you surrender and don't you give up. Don't surrender and don't give up!

pinto

(106,886 posts)

5. In the case of gay males in the US I doubt the RCC had much of an impact.

Reply to AtheistCrusader (Reply #2)

Thu Jul 9, 2015, 04:33 PM

Jul 2015

There's was a lack of political will to address to crisis publicly, a daunting research challenge that required federal funding to be any where near adequate, fear and a relegation of the whole issue to the shadows that fear supports.

Jesse Jackson's comments (above) were the first direct mention of AIDS in national media I had heard. And the earliest basic responses to the needs of AIDS patients often came from grass roots, religious organizations. I sat with my partner who was mute, unable to walk or eat independently and cried. Rev. Jackson spoke to me and he, then and there.

trotsky

(49,533 posts)

7. "In the case of gay males in the US I doubt the RCC had much of an impact."

Reply to pinto (Reply #5)

Thu Jul 9, 2015, 04:43 PM

Jul 2015

I can't believe you wrote that.

Well, OK, I guess if you only meant it solely in the case of the RCC forbidding condom use.

But the ostracism of gay men, the view that AIDS was "god's punishment" for them, that's right out of religious teachings, including those of the RCC.

AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)

8. And that has precisely nothing to do with the subject of the OP.

Reply to pinto (Reply #5)

Thu Jul 9, 2015, 05:15 PM

Jul 2015

pinto

(106,886 posts)

11. I'm going to step out of this.

Reply to AtheistCrusader (Reply #8)

Thu Jul 9, 2015, 10:42 PM

Jul 2015

I have a lot of personal history here, so my objectivity is obviously colored by my experiences. Probably inappropriate to bring that in to the conversation. Yet I don't heave any need to justify my point of view to anyone.

pinto

(106,886 posts)

6. +1.

Reply to cbayer (Original post)

Thu Jul 9, 2015, 04:41 PM

Jul 2015

The highlights of the religious groups partnering with UNICEF are a good model, imo.

cbayer

(146,218 posts)

9. Yes, very positive alliances here.

Reply to pinto (Reply #6)

Thu Jul 9, 2015, 05:16 PM

Jul 2015

Lordquinton

(7,886 posts)

10. Like i said in another thread

Reply to cbayer (Original post)

Thu Jul 9, 2015, 05:23 PM

Jul 2015

You can't honestly talk about religion helping when e main opponent is religion in the first place. The world's history is bathed in the blood of religious affairs, and folks would have us forget that.

So yea, religion can help by not standing in the way.

Humanist_Activist

(7,670 posts)

12. I would say I hope this leads to positive health access outcomes...

Reply to cbayer (Original post)

Sat Jul 11, 2015, 03:09 AM

Jul 2015

but should only be used as a transition to more permanent and secular alternatives.

In addition, the religious organizations should not be allowed to have their religious beliefs interfere with the administration of health care.

cbayer

(146,218 posts)

13. There is a huge range of services and degrees to which their religious beliefs

Reply to Humanist_Activist (Reply #12)

Sat Jul 11, 2015, 09:31 AM

Jul 2015

are part of the health care implementation.

I agree that in some cases, certain religious beliefs can certainly interfere with the administration of the health care.

I also agree that permanent and secular alternatives should be the long term goal, but I am thankful for these groups on the ground in some of the neediest places in the world.

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