Social attitudes toward shaving for cranial neurosurgery

Unshaved cranial neurological surgery has been successfully performed at Songklanagarind Hospital. However, within the Buddhist community, shaving is one of the traditional procedures for cleanliness and purification, and the unshaved method may have a cultural effect on social beliefs. Knowledge of social attitudes toward shaving or not shaving for cranial neurological surgery has implications for informed consent process prior to cranial operation. The attitudes of shaving were surveyed in the communities of Songkhla Province where Songklanagarind Hospital is situated. Of 1128 respondents, the female to male ratio was 3:2, their age was mostly under 40 years old and 91% were Buddhist. Sixty per cent of the respondents were in favour of shaving. After knowing the equivalent result of surgery either by shaved or unshaved method, the group favouring unshaved cranial surgery increased from 12 to 37%. Statistical analysis, through ordinal and multinomial logit, identified the young age, female and more educated who needed to socialize, and frequently meet many people were the groups who preferred or were ready to change their choice to the unshaved method. The neurosurgeon should give an advice to the patient not only the indications and results of surgery, but also a choice of shaved or unshaved cranial neurological surgery.