health
news
How do you teach a closed ultra-Orthodox society to maintain its health?
In recent months, there has been a heated public debate about the attitude of the ultra-Orthodox toward guidelines that can maintain their health.
But the need to convey life-saving messages to a very closed society was there before.
This researcher found the way
Tags
Corona
breast cancer
religious
Harediism
Walla!
health
Friday, 30 October 2020, 07:07
Share on Facebook
Share on WhatsApp
Share on general
Share on general
Share on Twitter
Share on Email
0 comments
Auditor's Report on the Corona Crisis: Not Completed Yet ...
Development of the vaccine for the corona virus, with first photographs ...
Gal Bitchi
The challenge of Alon Headquarters: 39% of insulation insulators do not report ...
MK Malinowski admits to the Corona committee that he violated guidelines: ...
Chairman of the Student Council of the Corona Committee: Youth in Situation ...
Fibromyalgia Iris Geyer
Ministry of Health instructional video: Defending against fever ...
After his employees became infected in Corona, Mike Pence held a rally ...
A person coughs and emits a droplet spray
In the video: Netanyahu in a statement towards easing the restrictions on closure (Photo: GPO, Editing: Itai Amram)
The controversial debate over how ultra-Orthodox maintain their health did not begin with the corona plague.
In 2013, a study was published that compared the risk of breast cancer between the ultra-Orthodox population and the secular population.
This study found that although among the ultra-Orthodox population the probability of becoming ill is much lower, the ultra-Orthodox diagnosed are more severely ill and their chances of recovery are lower.
Many asked themselves then, why this is happening and whether there is no awareness of early detection of breast cancer among the ultra-Orthodox population.
How do you talk about breast cancer without referring to a woman's body?
In the general media and those intended for the national religious public there is a great deal of preoccupation with breast cancer.
This is reflected in a variety of ways, including interview articles and publications dealing with the disease and the importance of early detection.
This is not the case in the ultra-Orthodox sector.
More on Walla!
NEWS
Breast cancer: This is how you do a self-breast test
To the full article
The ultra-Orthodox public does not speak in a wavy bristle about the woman's body, and in the pamphlets and publications that appear in the ultra-Orthodox press, it is not customary to put pictures of women.
It is a society that works with all its might to maintain its identity and within that the value of modesty.
It is therefore more problematic to address the issue and raise awareness about the treatment and prevention of breast cancer.
One example is the use of language: even when saying 'malignant disease of women' instead of 'breast cancer', there are still many cultural filtering mechanisms that need to be circumvented.
The ultra-Orthodox do not care about their health?
These days when we are all dealing with the corona plague, the spotlight, in the negative sense of the word, is directed at the ultra-Orthodox society where morbidity is much higher.
This figure raises the question - is there not enough awareness in the ultra-Orthodox society of a healthy lifestyle?
More on Walla!
NEWS
Does the treatment considered effective against corona not work at all?
Influenza vaccines have arrived, this is what you need to know about them
Three packages that must be known for a fast, high-quality and reliable phone
This is not the case.
The truth is that women in ultra-Orthodox society have a real difficulty in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
First, economically, healthy food is more expensive.
Second, from a halakhic point of view, engaging in body and appearance is not acceptable.
Third, the ultra-Orthodox woman is the head of the family, a main breadwinner and raises children, is very busy and has almost no time for physical fitness.
But, and this is a very important but, the mitzvah 'and you were very much saved for your souls' is a very important mitzvah in the world of halakhah that puts the preservation of a person's health in a very central place in his life - both in the therapeutic and preventive field.
How do you convey the message to a company that does not receive messages from outside?
So where is the gap between perceptions expressed?
I set out to investigate this question together with Dr. Sara Smiatitskati, director of the Women's Health Center 'for you' and Dr. Dana Safed from the Heart of Women's Health Center at Hadassah Ein Kerem.
We conducted the study in a particularly devout and closed ultra-Orthodox community.
It is known that in such a community, in order to convey a message, we do not use the usual ways that are familiar to us, such as creative companies, advertising in communication channels and social media.
In order to convey a message of health in ultra-Orthodox society, one must first work with each stream separately.
We located women in key positions and through them we learned about the same community.
It was important for us not to be perceived as a threatening external factor, since ultra-Orthodox society will not receive any message from outside - even if it is in its favor.
Through those women we approached the rabbis of the community and presented to them our goals and asked for their consent.
The rabbis and community activists were convinced of our intention to come and help and gave us their full support.
Without it, no woman would open the door of her home to us and collaborate with the study.
Haredi women walk in Brooklyn with face masks (Photo: Reuters)
When I sat with the women of the community in their pavilion, in their safe environment, I realized that the health issue actually preoccupies the ultra-Orthodox society, including the women of the sector.
The implementation of the mitzvah "and you are saved for your souls" is expressed in a large number of charitable organizations that deal with health and cooperation with the health funds.
Because it is important to convey the message in a way that is appropriate for the ultra-Orthodox way of life, we established orderly frameworks of home classes for women only and talked about health promotion.
We discussed barriers, for example - the economic aspect.
Healthy food is expensive, but you can talk about problems with processed foods, you have to know the different options for consuming healthy animal and plant proteins, use wholemeal flour, as well as the importance of reducing white sugar, which is found in very large amounts in soft drinks and sweets present at every event.
Regarding exercise, women can take advantage of their time alone at home to exercise.
The women offered their suggestions on the matter and ways to assimilate the messages in the community, since the woman is the head of the family and with the right tools for instilling awareness and healthy behavior, the message will permeate the entire community.
The findings of the study were presented at the Health Religiousness and Corona Conference held by the Lev Academic Center and the message is that this model of collaboration with the community is important for transmitting the health message should also be applied by the state in the fight against Corona.
This is while maintaining full mutual trust and creating a dedicated action plan, in collaboration with the community itself.
The author is a lecturer in the senior faculty of the Department of Nursing at the Lev Academic Center
Share on Facebook
Share on WhatsApp
Share on general
Share on general
Share on Twitter
Share on Email
0 comments
