Academic Journal
'This is the Test of Our Faith': An Exploratory Study of the Religio-spiritual and Cultural Construction of Cleft Lip and Palate Among Muslim Parents in Punjab, Pakistan.
| Τίτλος: | 'This is the Test of Our Faith': An Exploratory Study of the Religio-spiritual and Cultural Construction of Cleft Lip and Palate Among Muslim Parents in Punjab, Pakistan. |
|---|---|
| Συγγραφείς: | Safdar MR; Institute of Social and Cultural Studies, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. drrizwansafdar.iscs@pu.edu.pk., Nasir J; Institute of Social and Cultural Studies, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan., Bukhari L; Institute of Social and Cultural Studies, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. |
| Πηγή: | Journal of religion and health [J Relig Health] 2026 Oct; Vol. 65 (5), pp. 4740-4760. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jan 13. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Springer Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 2985199R Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1573-6571 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00224197 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Relig Health Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: New York, NY : Springer Original Publication: New York : Academy of Religion and Mental Health. |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Cleft Lip*/psychology , Islam*/psychology , Cleft Palate*/psychology , Parents*/psychology , Spirituality*, Humans ; Pakistan ; Adaptation, Psychological ; Female ; Male ; Adult ; Interviews as Topic ; Culture |
| Περίληψη: | One of the most common congenital defects affecting the orofacial areas worldwide is cleft lip and/or cleft palate (CL/P), which causes a range of social, psychological, and medical challenges for affected children and their families. Several socio-cultural beliefs and superstitions are attached to this condition, but little is known about how CL/P is framed by Muslim parents. The religious, spiritual, and cultural construction of CL/P is a significant yet often overlooked aspect of the subject covered in this study. It also discusses how parents of children with CL/P use spirituality and religion as coping strategies. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, data were gathered from 21 parents of children with CL/P at a cleft care hospital in Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab, Pakistan. The purposive sampling technique was used to ensure that participants had direct and relevant lived experience. By utilizing thematic analysis technique, four main and nine sub-themes were identified regarding parents' religio-spiritual and cultural construction of CL/P. In addition to understanding their children's condition through religious and cultural beliefs, the study also found that parents utilized religion and spirituality as coping mechanisms and saw CL/P as a 'test' from God. Many parents seemed to believe in superstitions embedded in Punjabi culture and associated CL/P with several cultural constructions and rituals. The study concludes that religious, spiritual, and cultural beliefs shape how Muslim parents in Punjab, Pakistan constructed and interpreted CL/P. Further, religious and spiritual belief gave optimism and courage to parents as they prayed to God for the quick recovery of their children. (© 2026. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.) |
| Competing Interests: | Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest. |
| References: | Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2022 Feb;59(2):209-215. (PMID: 33813904) J Adv Nurs. 2004 Jul;47(2):165-73. (PMID: 15196190) Midwifery. 2009 Apr;25(2):104-13. (PMID: 17408821) BMC Pediatr. 2025 Jan 15;25(1):33. (PMID: 39815243) BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2016 Jun 06;16(1):138. (PMID: 27267923) BMC Oral Health. 2024 Dec 19;24(1):1509. (PMID: 39702208) Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2010 Jul;47(4):327-34. (PMID: 20590456) Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2007 Jun;45(4):302-5. (PMID: 17056161) Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2019 Oct 28;7(10):e2487. (PMID: 31772907) Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2007 Nov;44(6):642-8. (PMID: 18177188) Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2004 Sep;41(5):461-9. (PMID: 15352868) JAMA Surg. 2017 Dec 20;152(12):e174013. (PMID: 29071335) Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2003 Sep;40(5):471-80. (PMID: 12943442) BMC Oral Health. 2023 Dec 16;23(1):1011. (PMID: 38104058) Ann Maxillofac Surg. 2016 Jul-Dec;6(2):195-203. (PMID: 28299257) Natl J Maxillofac Surg. 2023 Jan-Apr;14(1):68-71. (PMID: 37273423) J Relig Health. 2020 Dec;59(6):3126-3140. (PMID: 31529272) Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2025 Mar;62(3):466-476. (PMID: 37899714) J Stomatol Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2022 Apr;123(2):110-120. (PMID: 34033944) Nat Rev Genet. 2011 Mar;12(3):167-78. (PMID: 21331089) J Relig Health. 2023 Aug;62(4):2916-2932. (PMID: 36877419) |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Cleft lip; Cleft palate; Cultural beliefs; Muslims; Pakistan; Religion; Spirituality |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260112 Date Completed: 20261008 Latest Revision: 20261010 |
| Update Code: | 20261010 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10943-025-02561-7 |
| PMID: | 41526799 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1573-6571 |
|---|---|
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10943-025-02561-7 |