title: Controversies in faith and health care.
abstract: Differences in religious faith-based viewpoints (controversies) on the sanctity of human life, acceptable behaviour, health-care technologies and health-care services contribute to the widespread variations in health care worldwide. Faith-linked controversies include family planning, child protection (especially child marriage, female genital mutilation, and immunisation), stigma and harm reduction, violence against women, sexual and reproductive health and HIV, gender, end-of-life issues, and faith activities including prayer. Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and traditional beliefs have similarities and differences in their viewpoints. Improved understanding by health-care providers of the heterogeneity of viewpoints, both within and between faiths, and their effect on health care is important for clinical medicine, public-health programmes, and health-care policy. Increased appreciation in faith leaders of the effect of their teachings on health care is also crucial. This Series paper outlines some faith-related controversies, describes how they influence health-care provision and uptake, and identifies opportunities for research and increased interaction between faith leaders and health-care providers to improve health care.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Global Health, Institute of Child Health, UCL, London, UK. Electronic address: a.tomkins@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomkins
authors.affiliation: Partnership for Faith and Development, USA.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duff
authors.affiliation: Islamic Relief Worldwide, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Atallah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fitzgibbon
authors.affiliation: UNFPA, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Azza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karam
authors.affiliation: University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.affiliation: Buddhist Healthcare Chaplaincy Group, London, UK.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Munnings
authors.affiliation: UNAIDS, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Azim Premji University, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: Shreelata Rao
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Seshadri
authors.affiliation: Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Avraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steinberg
authors.affiliation: Caritas Internationalis, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vitillo
authors.affiliation: Daystar University, Nairobi Kenya.
authors.forename: Philemon
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yugi
mesh_terms: D000029:Abortion, Legal / Q000941:ethics; D000293:Adolescent; D019093:Circumcision, Female / Q000941:ethics; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000941:ethics / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000941:ethics / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000941:ethics; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D012067:Religion; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D012099:Reproductive Techniques / Q000941:ethics; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000941:ethics; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000941:ethics