Ben Taher, M., Pearson, J., Cohen, M. et al. (1 more author) (2018) Acceptability of post-mortem imaging among Muslim and non-Muslim communities. British Journal of Radiology, 91 (1091). 20180295. ISSN 0007-1285
Abstract
Objective: People’s views regarding autopsy vary according to their cultural and religious beliefs. This paper aims to determine the opinions towards this procedure among Muslims resident in Libya and Muslims and non-Muslims resident in the UK. Our long-term goal is to improve autopsy rates; whether conventional or through the use of post-mortem imaging.
Methods: 400 questionnaires were distributed to the three communities, interrogating belief about post-mortem investigations. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric statistics were used to analyse the data.
Results: Of the 400 distributed questionnaires, there was a high return rate of 320 (80%). All groups felt that children should be buried sooner than adults(p < 0.001), but 77% of Libyan Muslims thought that children should be buried within 12 h of death compared to 16% of UK Muslims and only 7% of UK non-Muslims (p < 0.001). More non-Muslims were unconcerned about a negative impact of traditional autopsy on the dignity of the corpse than Muslims (p < 0.001) and more Muslims responded that autopsy has a negative emotional effect on the family (p < 0.001). Type of death altered what sort of investigations were desired. In the case of homicide, Libyan Muslims were less likely to prefer CT (p < 0.001) or MRI (p = 0.001). Sex had no effect on the results of the survey.
Conclusion: Post-mortem imaging is acceptable to both Muslims and non-Muslims in Libya and the UK, but Muslims have a significant preference for post-mortem imaging compared to autopsy, except in homicidal cases.
Advances in knowledge: (1) The ability of post-mortem imaging to preserve the dignity of the corpse is independent of religion, however, significantly more Muslims feel that autopsy has a negative emotional effect on the family of the deceased. (2) A significant majority of Muslims in Libya prefer to bury children within 12 h of death, while a delay of up to a week is acceptable in UK. (3) Muslims resident in UK have an attitude closer to that of the indigenous (non-Muslim) population and therefore, educational programmes may be successful in changing attitudes of Muslims in Libya and other predominantly Muslim countries.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2018 The Authors. This is an author produced version of a paper subsequently published in British Journal of Radiology. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health (Sheffield) > Department of Oncology (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 07 Nov 2018 15:27 |
Last Modified: | 14 Aug 2019 00:43 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1259/bjr.20180295 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | British Institute of Radiology |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1259/bjr.20180295 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:138245 |