AIM To assess the difference in aesthetic result after a non-religious circumcision with classic Johnston's technique and a new proposed technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 76 children were circumcised (not for religious purposes) in a period of 6 years using the classic Johnston's technique (50 patients) and a new proposed technique (26 patients). Parents of circumcised children were...

This paper provides a norm-based explanation for two features of the fertility transition that have been observed in many different settings: the slow response to external interventions and the wide variation in the response to the same intervention. Most societies have traditionally put norms into place to regulate fertility. When the economic environment changes, individuals gradually learn t...

Spirituality/religion serves important roles in coping, survival and maintaining overall wellbeing within African cultures and communities, especially when diagnosed with a chronic disease like HIV/AIDS that can have a profound effect on physical and mental health. However, spirituality/religion can be problematic to some patients and cause caregiving difficulties. The objective of this paper w...

In March 2014 an outbreak of measles commenced in a small religious school attended by around 350 children from families with extremely low MMR vaccination uptake. Within 4 weeks almost 400 cases were observed within the 1200 member congregation. Only four cases occurred unlinked to the congregation. While importations of measles into Canada are expected and rapid spread is possible in unimmuni...

BACKGROUND The relationship between spirituality, religion and medicine has been recognized since antiquity. Despite large differences in their history, society, economy and cultures human communities shared a common belief that spirituality and religion played an important role in the healing of diseases. METHODS The study of religious remedies used by Italian folk medicine in order to treat...

End-of-life organ donation is controversial in Islam. The controversy stems from: (1) scientifically flawed medical criteria of death determination; (2) invasive perimortem procedures for preserving transplantable organs; and (3) incomplete disclosure of information to consenting donors and families. Data from a survey of Muslims residing in Western countries have shown that the interpretation ...

Introduction In Afghanistan, despite the high awareness levels of contraceptive methods, the contraceptive prevalence is low and short birth spacing is common. The aim of this study was to understand the perception about family planning and contraceptive utilization among reproductive-aged married women, their husbands, their mothers-in-law, religious leaders and healthcare providers. Methods...

In the past decade, cities have experienced rapid growth, expansion, and changes in their community structure. Many aspects of critical urban infrastructure are closely coupled with the human communities that they serve. Urban communities are composed of a multiplex of overlapping factors which can be distinguished into cultural, religious, social-economic, political, and geographical layers. I...

Commercial links and a common orientation towards maritime trade continued to bind Southeast Asian Austronesian communities together in historical times, and the spread of Islam is regarded as a consequence of these cultural ties. Islam required many changes in traditional Austronesian social and religious practices, as did Christianity, but the strength of Austronesian tradition, reinforced gr...