Blood transfusion in adult Jehovah's Witnesses. A case study of one congregation

1982 ◽  
Vol 142 (3) ◽  
pp. 606-607 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. J. Findley
Keyword(s):  
Blood Transfusion ◽  
Jehovah’S Witnesses ◽  
Jehovah's Witnesses

Strategies Among Young Jehovah’s Witnesses in Compulsory School in Sweden, Age 13–15, a Case Study

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pernilla Liedgren ◽  
Lars Andersson
Keyword(s):  
World View ◽  
Minority Group ◽  
Jehovah’S Witnesses ◽  
Value System ◽  
Jehovah's Witnesses ◽  
A Value ◽  
Standing Up ◽  
Primary School Age ◽  
Mainstream Culture

This study investigated how young teenagers, as members of a strong religious organization, dealt with the school situation and the encounter with mainstream culture taking place at school during the final years in Swedish primary school (age 13–15 years). The purpose was to explore possible strategies that members of a minority group, in this case the Jehovah’s Witnesses, developed in order to deal with a value system differing from that of the group. We interviewed eleven former members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses about their final years in compulsory Swedish communal school. The ages of the interviewees ranged between 24 and 46 years, and the interviewed group comprised six men and five women. Nine of the eleven interviewees had grown up in the countryside or in villages. All but two were ethnic Swedes. The time that had passed since leaving the movement ranged from quite recently to 20 years ago. The results revealed three strategies; Standing up for Your Beliefs, Escaping, and Living in Two Worlds. The first two strategies are based on a One-World View, and the third strategy, Living in Two Worlds, implies a Two-World View, accepting to a certain extent both the Jehovah’s Witnesses outlook as well as that of ordinary society. The strategy Standing up for Your Beliefs can be described as straightforward, outspoken, and bold; the youngsters did not show any doubts about their belief. The second subgroup showed an unshakeable faith, but suffered psychological stress since their intentions to live according to their belief led to insecurity in terms of how to behave, and also left them quite isolated. These people reported more absence from school. The youngsters using the strategy Living in Two Worlds appeared to possess the ability to sympathize with both world views, and were more adaptable in different situations.

scholarly journals How to approach orthognathic surgery in patients who refuse blood transfusion

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 404-410
Author(s):  
Sang Hwan Lee ◽  
Dong Gyu Kim ◽  
Ho Seong Shin
Keyword(s):  
Blood Transfusion ◽  
Orthognathic Surgery ◽  
Blood Transfusions ◽  
Recombinant Erythropoietin ◽  
Jehovah’S Witnesses ◽  
Jehovah's Witnesses ◽  
Hypotensive Anesthesia ◽  
Normovolemic Hemodilution ◽  
Surgery Center ◽  
Bloodless Surgery

Background Some patients who need surgery refuse a blood transfusion because of their religious beliefs or concerns about blood-borne infections. In recent years, bloodless surgery has been performed successfully in many procedures, and is therefore of increasing interest in orthognathic surgery.Methods Ten Jehovah’s Witnesses who visited our bloodless surgery center for orthognathic surgery participated in this study. To maintain hemoglobin (Hb) levels above 10 g/dL before surgery, recombinant erythropoietin (rEPO) was subcutaneously administered and iron supplements were intravenously administered. During surgery, acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) and induced hypotensive anesthesia were used. To elevate the Hb levels to >10 g/dL after surgery, a similar method to the preoperative approach was used.Results The 10 patients comprised three men and seven women. Their average Hb level at the first visit was 11.1 g/dL. With treatment according to our protocol, the average preoperative Hb level rose to 12.01 g/dL, and the average Hb level on postoperative day 1 was 10.01 g/dL. No patients needed a blood transfusion, and all patients were discharged without any complications.Conclusions This study presents a way to manage patients who refuse blood transfusions while undergoing orthognathic surgery. rEPO and iron supplementation were used to maintain Hb levels above 10 g/dL. During surgery, blood loss was minimized by a meticulous procedure and induced hypotensive anesthesia, and intravascular volume was maintained by ANH. Our practical approach to orthognathic surgery for Jehovah’s Witnesses can be applied to the management of all patients who refuse blood transfusions.

Bloodless surgery and gynecological patients among Jehovah’s Witnesses

2021 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-113
Author(s):  
Milan Kudela ◽  
◽  
Radovan Pilka ◽  
Petr Dzvinčuk ◽  
Radim Marek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Transfusion ◽  
Blood Loss ◽  
Gynecologic Surgery ◽  
Jehovah’S Witnesses ◽  
Ethical Problems ◽  
Jehovah's Witnesses ◽  
Estimated Blood Loss ◽  
Risk Patients ◽  
Bloodless Surgery ◽  
Excessive Blood Loss

Overview Objective: The aim of this research is to present our experiences with the surgical treatment of gynecological patients among Jehovah’s Witnesses. Moreover, the medical, moral, and ethical problems in this regard have been highlighted. Methods: 75 Jehovah’s Witnesses patients were operated on for various benign and malignant gynecological diseases between 2007 and 2018. All of these patients were operated on according to the rules of blood-sparing surgery. Results: The operations were assessed according to the dia­gnosis, mode of surgery, estimated blood loss, and disease outcome. Excessive blood loss did not occur during any of these operations, and the estimated blood loss for the same procedure was 10 to 550 mL. Conclusion: Jehovah’s Witnesses gynecological patients is a group of high-risk patients because they refuse to undergo blood transfusion. Nevertheless, the principles of blood-sparing surgery should be applied to not only Jehovah’s Witnesses patients but also to all patients in general. Even if a blood transfusion is the last resort to solve issues pertaining to excessive blood loss during complicated operations, the said procedure always carries certain risks. Therefore, blood transfusion should be performed only on rare occasions. Jehovah’s Witnesses patients categorically refuse blood transfusion even if it is the only way to save one’s life. Even though the legislation of the Czech Republic deals with this problem, there are other moral and ethical aspects that need to be addressed in this regard. Keywords: bloodless surgery – Gynecologic surgery – Jehovah’s Witnesses – legislation – moral and ethical problems

The “World” Concept Among Jehovah's Witnesses

1946 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-140
Author(s):  
Theodore W. Sprague
Keyword(s):  
Present Article ◽  
Jehovah’S Witnesses ◽  
Important Place ◽  
Jehovah's Witnesses ◽  
The World ◽  
World Concept

Various concepts bearing the label of “the world” have held an important place among the categories in terms of which men of many times and places have organized their experience. The present article attempts a case study of a single one of these — that developed by Jehovah's witnesses.

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