As discussed in that section, there are many factors that influence the extent to which a religion impacts health-related behavior. In the case of Bosnian refugees, generally a cosmopolitan group, Islam may have less of an impact on health beliefs and practices than among others from rural middle-eastern backgrounds. Bosnian women, for example, tend to be less intent on maintaining extreme modesty and are more willing to report gynecological problems than women from some other groups. At most, women will wear a scarf over their head and conservative dress. Although there are extended families living together in rural Bosnia, most Bosnian refugees live in nuclear family groups.
Many families have a history of both wife and husband employed outside the home.
Men usually have greater authority than women. One of the more touching scenarios during the Bosnian war was a couple in love, with one person being Muslim and the other Christian. We see such couples among Bosnian refugees, and though they do not seem to romanticize the situation, still, they stand as testimony to the power of love. Except that the health care system in Bosnia is socialized, basic health care is similar in many respects to that in the United States. There is a greater emphasis on primary care and some sophisticated tests and procedures are generally unavailable.