(CTV) Doctors caring for Muslim patients with mental health disorders should balance concern about the effects of Ramadan fasting on symptoms with an understanding of the spiritual significance of the observance, says a new study released Thursday.
There is little research into the effects of fasting on the management of mental health illnesses, says lead author Dr. Zainab Furqan, a resident physician at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto. She joined a team of researchers from Toronto, California, and the U.K. to produce the study published in Lancet Psychiatry.
Furqan says she was frequently encountering Muslim patients who were confused about whether mental health illnesses are included in exemptions from Ramadan fasting within the faith’s guidelines.
