Journal of Clinical Research & Bioethics

Abstract

Bioethics and Food Restrictions by Religious Motivations: Decision Making Processes in Health

Marília Fernandes Wettstein, Lia Nunes Ferreira Alves and José Roberto Goldim

Bioethics reflects on many issues in health, one is the spiritual aspects involved in decision making. The inclusion of these aspects does not remove the secular character of bioethical reflection, in contrast, allows you to have a broad and complex motivations associated with the decisions that people make. We conducted a cross-sectional study with a sample of 271 inpatients at a university general hospital in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Individual interviews were conducted focusing on the issue of food shortages and the motivations involved, as well as expression of coercion associated. With respect to food, 56% of patients had some restriction to any type of food, while 6.3% were associated with religious motives, especially with respect to the group of meat. The other patients claimed restrictions for not liking the food (34%) or have associated health problems (16%). The expression of coercion not statistically significant (P> 0.05) between groups of patients with and without food restriction. Patients perceive that they are heard by the health team, but understand that their views are not considered when deciding on the types of foods that will be offered. Only 1.7% of patients said they would be embarrassed if asked about their religious practices.