General practice during the month of ramadan. Survey among general practitioners

Aims: Ramadan is plenty practised in the muslim world; the fasting of ramadan extended to medication taking, the disrupt rhythm of life, generate medical consequences that involve the general practitioner (GP). The objective of this work is to explore the experiences and the behaviour of the general practitioners towards their practice during the period of ramadan. Methods: Fourteen GPs have been interviewed by the same researcher. Results: This practice is known by the majority of the GPs on account of the imperatives which it requires and the GPs are aware of a possible adaptation of their medical practice; limits exist, when it is necessary to apply them for prescriptions, or for consultations with chronic patients. A medical skill is sometimes dismissed to the person who fasts, exposing him to the difficulties of the therapeutic management. Guidelines exist and should limit the prohibitive speeches and spur the GP on adapted therapeutic in fast. Conclusion: Beyond ramadan, this work highlights two problems concerning patients who speak about another language; the indispensable place of the interpreter is discussed as well as its implications since it is about a close interpreter, directing ideally to a professional, which is difficult in general practice. The language barrier also is to be agreed figuratively in front of culturally different disease’s presentation and representation. Prat Organ Soins. 2011;42(2):89-99