Opinion
Effectiveness of the lifestyle modifications in prevention and control of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs): Focus on Islamic lifestyle
Mohammad Rabbani Khorasgani*
Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran
*Address for Correspondence: Mohammad Rabbani Khorasgani, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran, 81746-73441, Tel: 0098(313) 7932469; Fax: 0098(313) 7932456; Email: m.rabbani@biol.ui.ac.ir
Dates: Submitted: 27 September 2018; Approved: 12 October 2018; Published: 15 October 2018
How to cite this article: Khorasgani MR. Effectiveness of the lifestyle modifications in prevention and control of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs): Focus on Islamic lifestyle. Clin J Obstet Gynecol. 2018; 1: 056-057. DOI: 10.29328/journal.cjog.1001009
Copyright License: © 2018 Khorasgani MR. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
The advancement of human researches and scientific activities in the field of diseases prevention and treatment, has not diminished the importance of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Despite the continuous efforts for prevention and control of them, many peoples suffers from STD with very considered wasted expenses for anybody and for community [1,2].
It is necessary to be mentioned that one of the most important factors influences STD development and spreading, is human lifestyle especially sexual relationship lifestyle [3,4].
Lifestyle is an important and very effective agent in human being life especially in the interactions between them [5]. It affects the different human relationships and therefore, the survival of infectious agents in the body and environment and the rate of infection development. Also, the quantity and quality of sex relationships, beginning age, different types, freedom or limitations of sex connections is related to human lifestyle.
Many factors may influence human lifestyle. Religion may be regarded as an important factor affecting human lifestyle, therefore, pay attention to relationships between religion – lifestyle – sexual relations is necessary. Islam as a religion with comprehensive program for human life, express essential phrases for different human beings relations such as sex relations that positively influence sex health and affect STD prevention and control [6].
The important findings from Islamic lifestyle with potential effect on STD prevalence may be presented as the following:
Basic principles of health
1. Emphasis on the necessity of pay attention to keep healthy [7]
2. Preventing harmful health effects [4]
3. Necessity of pay attention to the rights of others [8]
4. The beneficial effects of Islamic ethics and jurisprudence “Feghh” on the health keeping and promotion [9]
5. The emphasis on strengthening the spiritual health [10]
6. Piety and abstinence ”Taghva” [4]
7. Encouraging the marriage and regarding the family lifestyle as important principles for management of essential unit of community [8]
8. Encouraging the acquisition of health related sciences and underlining that for any pain, it is a cure
9. The emphasis on the importance of medicine and preventing the non-scientific intervention on human health [7]
10. Insistence on: prevention is better than cure [9]
11. Moderation in life :Not unrestrained activities, nor asceticism [4]
12. Purity and hygiene of human bodies against filthy: carcass (corpse), blood, urine, feces and semen [11]
13. The effects of religious lifestyle on infectious diseases development and prevention: For example, the need to cleanse the body before some worships in Islam (Cleanness is the beginning of praying: ablution)
14. Presentation of social lifestyle and the effects of social customs on control of infection spreading
15. Prohibition of Jobs with potential harmful effects such as infection development and spreading
Specific principles for sex relationships
1. Sex as an essential part of life and as one of the most pleasurable things: How sex is perceived in Islam, its benefits and the Islamic guidelines for a healthy sex life for both men and women have explained in Islamic texts [6]
2. Not unrestrained sexual activity, nor sexual asceticism but legal sexual activities that restricted to marriage [6]
3. Prohibition of unlawful and illicit relationships (adultery, pederasty and same-sex relationships) [8,12]
4. Encouraging the chastity and forbidden of indecent behaviors: For Muslims, the open discussion of sex is frowned (with exceptions such as discussing sexual etiquette between husband and wife). It is forbidden to have sex in public or in front of children and it is also important not to reveal specific details about self -intimate relationship to others [4].
5. Forbidden sexual relationship during a woman’s period, when fasting and when in Ihraam (a ritual one takes on during the pilgrimage to Makkah) [8]
6. Prohibition of alcoholic beverages and therefore prevention of uncontrolled behaviors [8,13]
7. Punishment for overt unlawful sexual relations and sex crimes [14]
The some effects of lifestyle on STD prevention and control mentioned very briefly and it is believed that more multidisciplinary studies are necessary for explanation of powerful effect of healthy lifestyle on prevention and control of STD.
References
- Braxton J, Davis D, Flagg E, Grey J, Grier L, et al. Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2016, U.S Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. 2016; Ref.: https://goo.gl/WkqeXk
- CDC FACT SHEET: Reported STDs in the United States, 2013; 20. Ref.: https://goo.gl/pRSBnG
- Farhud DD. Impact of lifestyle on health. Iran J Public Health. 2015; 44: 1442–1444. Ref.: https://goo.gl/UtrAaN
- Rabbani M. Culture and Health: Science and Religiousness, Basij Asatid Organization Publications. 2005;
- Feizi M. Background, terminology and conceptual of lifestyle, Maaref. 2013; 96: 14.
- Mutahhari M. Sexual Ethics in Islam and in the Western World. Bethat Islamic Research Centre (BIRC). Qom, Iran. Ref.: https://goo.gl/fxEKSx
- Mutahhari M. Training and Education in Islam, Islamic College for Advanced Studies; UK. 2011; Ref.: https://goo.gl/SMXBKp
- Holy Quran, Translated by: MH Shakir, Ansariyan Publications, Qum, Islamic Republic of Iran.
- Biazar Shirazi A. Medical-Islamic jurisprudence new treatise. Treatment related subjects. Daftar Nashr Farhang Eslami, Tehan, Iran. 1995;
- Biazar Shirazi A. Medical- Islamic jurisprudence new treatise, Spiritual medicine, Daftar Nashr Farhang Eslami, Tehan, Iran. 1994;
- Vahidi M. Purities and Impurities in Islam. Daftar Tablight Eslami Qum Publications. 2011;
- Rabbani Khorasgani M, Atyabi SR. Renal diseases and Islamic religious beliefs and practices, Austin Journal of Nephrology and Hypertension. 2017; 5: 076. Ref.: https://goo.gl/mzFTky
- Stahre M, Roeber J, Kanny D, Brewer RD, Zhang X, et al. Contribution of excessive alcohol consumption to deaths and years of potential life lost in the United States. Prev Chronic Dis. 2014:11:130293. Ref.: https://goo.gl/BAv4oX
- Rabbani M, Mahmoudian SA. Prevention and control of sexually transmitted diseases inspired by the teachings of Islam,3rd National Congress on Prevention & Treatment by Complementary Medicine, Isfahan, IRAN. 2014;