"One Big Family": Pastoral Care and Treatment Seeking in an Egyptian Coptic Church in England.
Little is known about Coptic migrants' chronic disease health beliefs and treatment-seeking behaviours. Interviews to explore these issues and their relationship with church membership were conducted with 15 Coptic migrants in Southern England. Obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) were most frequently identified as health risks for Coptic migrants. CVD was ascribed to stress and considered amenable to spiritual healing. Lay referral to medical practitioners who were church members was common but may devalue perceptions of family medicine. The Coptic Church functions as a community that addresses members' wider vulnerability. Central to this is the "parish nurse" role of the priest.
Division of Primary Care and Public Health, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Mayfield House, University of Brighton, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9PH, England, UK. john.shenouda@doctors.org.uk.
John E A
JEA
Shenouda
Division of Primary Care and Public Health, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Mayfield House, University of Brighton, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9PH, England, UK.
Maxwell J F
MJF
Cooper
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy*; D004534:Egypt / Q000208:ethnology; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D010327:Pastoral Care / Q000379:methods*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
Candidacy; Coptic; Healthcare access; Migrants; Obesity