Patients’ cultural and spiritual explanatory models in health encounters: a focus on the efficacy of cancer prevention strategies in women from South Sudan

Abstract

This qualitative study examined non-clinical factors that affect health, namely the cultural and spiritual beliefs of the patient. The study focuses on women from South Sudan. Although the overt religious adherence of these women is familiar to mainstream Australia (i.e. Christian), they are culturally diverse from the mainstream. The experiences of five women were documented. These women, all regarded as community leaders, were also asked about their assessment of the views of the wider community of women from South Sudan. This study informs targeted health promotion messages for a significant community in Australia. It is anticipated that the findings of this research, although not generalisable to the whole South Sudanese community or to all those with a refugee background, will provide important information to guide the development of culturally appropriate health care into the future. The findings point to the need for enhanced clinical education around communication, especially in relation to understanding the patients’ explanatory models of health. The findings have implications for patient education strategies. Finally, the findings reinforce the importance of engaging the community in the development of those strategies and ensuring their input into further research.