Patient centered care in Islam: distinguishing between religious and sociocultural factors.

The use of patient centered care is promoted by Islam. Many of the countries with the highest percentage of diabetics are Muslim majority countries. The use of patient centered care in these areas is likely to reduce the burden of diabetes in these countries. However there are several challenges faced by the physicians working in these countries. Most of these challenges are sociocultural in origin and a thorough knowledge of the Islamic principles can help overcome these challenges.