Unani Tibb practitioners’ perceptions and attitudes towards spirituality and spiritual care in Unani Tibb practice in South Africa
Loading...
Date
2023
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMC
Abstract
Unani Tibb is an Arabic term which means Greek medicine. It is an ancient holistic medical system
based on the healing theories of Hippocrates, Galen and Ibn Sina (Avicenna). Despite this, spirituality and spiritual care
practices are deficient in the clinical setting. This cross-sectional descriptive study was used to describe Unani Tibb practitioners’ perceptions and
attitudes regarding spirituality and spiritual care in South Africa. A demographic form, Spiritual Care-Giving Scale,
Spiritual and Spiritual Care Rating Scale and Spirituality in Unani Tibb Scale were used to collect data. A response rate of 64.7% (n = 44 out of 68) was achieved. Positive perceptions and attitudes regarding
spirituality and spiritual care were recorded for Unani Tibb practitioners. The spiritual needs of their patients were
considered vital towards enhancing the Unani Tibb treatment approach. Spirituality and spiritual care were regarded
as fundamental to Unani Tibb therapy. However, most practitioners agreed that adequate training in spirituality and
spiritual care was lacking and future training initiatives were imperative for Unani Tibb clinical practice in South Africa.
Description
Keywords
Spiritual care, Spirituality, World Health Organization (WHO), South Africa, Population studies
Citation
Hoosen, M. et al. (2023). Unani Tibb practitioners’ perceptions and attitudes towards spirituality and spiritual care in Unani Tibb practice in South Africa. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 23,189. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-023-04002-y