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Managing caregiving at home: Thai caregivers living in the United States.

The researchers designed a qualitative descriptive study informed by grounded theory and ethnography to generate a beginning substantive theory that illuminates the process of caregiving in Thai families living in the United States. A purposive sample of seven Thai caregivers of chronically ill relatives in the western and the midwestern regions of the U.S. participated in interviews, provided observations and wrote memoranda. Three categories emerged from "managing caregiving at home:" (a) being caregivers, (b) the consequences of caregiving and (c) coping with the difficulties of caregiving. The study participants describe caregiving as a willing burden and an unavoidable duty, attitudes which are clearly influenced by Buddhist beliefs. The results of this study provide nurses with a better understanding of the caregiving process, especially as it exists in the Thai American population.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Chinese moral perspectives on abortion and foetal life: an historical account.

It is accepted wisdom that, at the present time as well as historically, the typical Chinese attitude toward abortion is very permissive or 'liberal'. It has been widely perceived that Chinese people usually do not consider abortion morally problematic and that they think a human life starts at birth. As part of a bigger research project on Chinese views and experiences of abortion, this article represents a revisionist historical account of Chinese moral perspectives on abortion and foetal life. By presenting Buddhist and Confucian views of abortion, traditional Chinese medical understandings of foetal life, the possible moral foundation of a 'conservative' Confucian position, and some historical features of abortion laws and policies in twentieth-century China, this paper shows that blanket assumptions that the Chinese view of abortion has always been permissive are historically unfounded. As in the present, there existed different and opposing views about abortion in history, and many Chinese, not only Buddhists but also Confucians, believed that deliberately terminating pregnancy is to destroy a human life which starts far earlier than at birth. The current dominant and official line on the subject does not necessarily accord with historical Chinese values and practices.

Abortion, Induced↗

Socio-demographic and environmental factors associated with Aedes breeding places in Phuket, Thailand.

This study aimed to determine the socio-demographic and environmental factors influencing potential breeding sites of the dengue vector in Phuket Province. Three hundred houses were recruited by cluster random sampling for larval inspection. Of all the types of water containers, a high proportion of tires and discarded items were infested by Aedes larva (42% and 32%, respectively). Due to the abundance of water tanks, jars for using water and discarded containers (1.7, 2.1, 0.8 per house), these were the main breeding sites (0.29, 0.35, and 0.28 infested containers per house, respectively). Buddhists' houses were significantly more likely to have a larvae-infested flower vase than Muslims' houses. Townhouses had relatively few infested containers, while those on rubber plantations had 18.3 times higher odds of having at least one container with larva. No window screens increased the odds of larva infestation in the discarded containers by 4.2 times. With this information and given a reliable piped water supply, the number of water containers can be reduced to minimize the breeding places. Garbage should be properly disposed of. Screens should be installed, if possible. Buddhists should be advised on the proper protection of flower vases.

Adolescent↗

Cigarette smoking among Thai Buddhist monks, central and eastern Thailand.

A cross-sectional study was conducted from June to December, 2003 among Thai Buddhist monks in 4 provinces of the central region (Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Saraburi and Chai Nat) and in 4 provinces of the eastern region (Chachoengsao, Rayong, Trat, and Sa Kaeo) of Thailand. Data were collected using face to face interviews, questionnaires, and physical examination reports (weight, height, heart rate, blood pressure, etc) as the research tools. This study focused on sociodemographics, history of illness, and smoking behavior. The proportion of the cigarette smoking was 47.6% of the total of 920 Buddhist monks. The age group 20-34 years, Maha Nikaya section and Public temple were the majority of the study subjects. Multivariate analysis revealed that only four factors were related to smoking consumption: dharma education, Naktharm To (grade 2) (OR = 0.6, 95% Cl: 0.4-0.9), Naktharm Aek (grade 3) or above (OR = 0.4, 95% Cl: 0.2-0.6); Lay education, secondary school (OR = 0.7, 95% Cl: 0.5-0.9), bachelor degree or above (OR = 0.4, 95% Cl: 0.2-0.8); systolic blood pressure > or = 140 mmHg (OR = 1.8, 95% Cl: 1.1-2.8) and history of respiratory illness (OR = 3.2, 95% Cl: 1.5-6.9). As a result, dharma education and well educated persons were the crucial factors which led to success in decreasing cigarette smoking. Smoking cessation campaigns and education of the consequences of smoking are strongly recommended among risk groups.

Adolescent↗

Sacred fillings.

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Buddhism↗

Relationship between serum antioxidant vitamins A, E, and C and lipid profiles in priest subjects at the Priest Hospital.

The serum vitamins A, E, and C (antioxidant vitamins) of 112 priest subjects, compared with 90 males and 119 females in a control group, were investigated. Subjects for the study were Thai volunteers who attended the Outpatient Department, Priest Hospital, Bangkok, for a physical check-up from July to September 2003. There was no age difference between the priest group and the controls. All serum vitamins, A, E, and C, of the priest group were significantly lower than the control group. Statistically significantly higher levels of total cholesterol, LDL-C, and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio were found in the priest subjects compared with the controls. The median serum retinol concentration in the priest subjects was 3.02 micromol/l (range 1.47-4.01 micromol/l) compared with 3.23 micromol/l (range 1.74-4.57 micromol/l) in the controls (p<0.01). The median serum a-tocopherol concentration in the priest subjects was 18.1 mmol/l (range 5.8-27.3 micromol/l) compared with 19.6 mmol/l (range 7.3-37.7 micromol/l) in the controls (p<0.01). The median serum ascorbic acid concentration in the priest subjects was 3.74 mg/l (range 0.0-17.0 mg/l) compared with 6.37 mg/l (range 0.0-18.0 mg/l) in the controls. The median values for retinol, alpha-tocopherol, and ascorbic acid serum concentrations in the male priests were lower than the control males. A total of 28% and 65% of the priest subjects had decreased alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid levels, while the controls had decreased alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid levels of 20% and 31.5%, respectively. A total of 67.8% and 54.4% of priest and control subjects, respectively, had cholesterol concentrations of > or = 5.18 mmol/l. However, a prevalence of low HDL-C (HDL-C < or = 0.91 micromol/l) was found in 1.8% of priest subjects and 1.4% of controls. Statistically significant associations were found between alpha-tocopherol, cholesterol, LDL-C, triglyceride, and serum retinol. A positive correlation was found between age, retinol, and serum alpha-tocopherol. A negative correlation was found between cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, and the serum alpha-tocopherol/cholesterol ratio. In addition, negative correlations were found between weight, cholesterol, LDL-C, triglyceride, and the serum alpha-tocopherol/(cholesterol + triglyceride) ratio in priest and control subjects. The results suggest more research should be conducted into the health and nutritional problems of both healthy and diseased priest subjects concerning vitamins and oxidative stress.

Adult↗

Attitudes to euthanasia in the Vinaya and commentary.

The prohibition on taking human life is one of the cornerstones of Buddhist ethics, but there is often confusion about the interpretation of this prohibition in different contexts. In his commentary on the third parajika in the Samantapasadika, Buddhaghosa sets out to clarify the legal provisions of the monastic precept against taking life. The root text and his comments on it are relevant to the contemporary debate on euthanasia, and this paper considers what light Buddhist jurisprudence can shed on this moral dilemma.

Buddhism↗

Therapeutic perspectives of human embryonic stem cell research versus the moral status of a human embryo--does one have to be compromised for the other?

UNLABELLED: Stem cells are unspecialized cells able to divide and produce copies of themselves and having the potential to differentiate, i.e. to produce other cell types in the body. Because of the latter ability, the scientists investigate their possible use in regenerative medicine. Especially embryonic stem cells have huge therapeutic potential because they can give rise to every cell type in the body as compared to stem cells from certain adult tissues which can only differentiate into a limited range of cell types. For this reason scientists stress the importance of embryonic stem cell research. However, this research raises sensitive ethical and religious arguments, which are balanced against possible great benefit of such research for the patients suffering from so far incurable diseases. The objective of this literature review is to present the main arguments in favor and against human embryonic stem cell research. Since the sensitivity of the latter issue to a large extent stems from the position of predominant religions in a given society, the positions of the main religions regarding embryo research are also presented. CONCLUSION: There is no consensus regarding ethical aspects of human embryonic stem cell research. The article presents both the arguments supporting human embryonic stem cell research and the arguments opposing it.

Beginning of Human Life↗

Comparison of lip positions in ancient Buddhas with Japanese adults.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the lip positions found in two ancient Buddha statues with the lip positions in contemporary Japanese adults. METHODS: The facial profiles of Yakushi-ji temple Sho Kannon (male) and Chugu-ji temple Bodhisattva (female), generally considered to be two of the most beautiful Buddha statues in existence, were compared with the facial profiles of 30 Japanese dental students. Profiles of the statues were measured on photographs and profiles of the adults on cephalometric radiographs. The adults comprised 15 men between 22 and 26 years of age (Mean age: 23.8+/-1.3 years) and 15 women between 22 to 25 years of age (Mean age: 22.9+/-1.0 years). RESULTS: The Buddha statues had retrusive lips compared with the lip positions in contemporary Japanese adults. CONCLUSION: Flat profiles may be favoured by Japanese adults who, typically, have protrusive lips.

Adult↗