Saudi Arabian Women And The Obstacles - 1620 Words

Abstract THE FOCUS OF THIS PAPER WILL BE ON SAUDI ARABIAN WOMEN AND THE OBSTACLES THEY MUST OVERCOME TO ACCESS HEALTHCARE. WHAT MANY BELIEVE TO BE SHARIAH LAW CONCERNING WOMEN’S RIGHTS OF HEALTHCARE IS ACTUALLY BASED MORE ON TRADITION AND CUSTOM RATHER THAN LAW. UNFORTUNATELY, MANY PEOPLE IN SAUDI ARABIA ARE UNAWARE OF THIS AND STILL ABIDE BY THESE TRADITIONS AS IF THEY ARE LAWS. THESE PEOPLE INCLUDE MEN AND WOMEN, AND MANY HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. IN SAUDI ARABIA, MOST OF THE POPULATION IS ULTRA CONSERVATIVE, THEREFORE, SEEKING TREATMENT FOR REPORDUCTIVE ISSUES AWKWARD. DUE TO THESE CUSTOMS, MANY WOMEN DO NOT OFTEN SEEK HEALTHCARE, AND WHEN THE WOMEN DO IT IS OFTEN TOO LATE. IN 2010 BREAST CANCER WAS THE NINTH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN†¦show more content†¦In September 2013, a male Saudi cleric, Sheikh Saleh Al-Loheidan, claimed that women who drive will have reproductive issues and their babies will be born with clinical problems (Jamjoom, 2013). This is believed to be in r esponse to a movement protesting the laws against women driving. The fact that women are banned from driving themselves where they need to go hinders the ability to get to medical appointments without a chaperone, or walking. On October 26, 2013, a demonstration was planned for women activists to post video of themselves driving to protest the ban. Women are serving jail time for violating these laws (Jamjoom, 2013). As is custom, women must be accompanied by a male chaperone from her family, such as, her husband, father, brother, or son. This is for the women’s protection. Where this becomes problematic in the healthcare setting is during the patient interview and exam. In 1993, a physician from Canada, Stephen N. Sullivan, MD, FRCPC, went to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to practice medicine and many of the difficulties he faced are still relevant today. Dr. Sullivan was unable to obtain a health history from the female patient. The history was usually given by one or more family members who were present as her guardian. Dr. Sullivan was unable to perform a full assessment on his female patients due to the veils covering their faces. The doctor made a diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis from reviewing a patient’s chart prior to an endoscopy. The