The social in medicine: Social techniques in patient education

The article investigates the role of the social in medicine through an empirical study of social technologies in Diabetes 2 and COPD patient education in Denmark. It demonstrates how the social at the same time is the cause of disease but also functions as a solution to the problem. Furthermore it s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health (London, England : 1997) England : 1997), 2012-07, Vol.16 (4), p.418-433
Main Authors: Ljungdalh, Anders Kruse, Møller, Jane Ege
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Citizens
Denmark
Diabetes
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - psychology
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - therapy
Education
Empowerment
Group behaviour
Group dynamics
Group Processes
Health Care Services
Health Problems
Humans
Illness
Lifestyle
Medical sociology
Medicine
Patient Education as Topic - methods
Patient Participation - methods
Patients
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - psychology
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - therapy
Self Care - methods
Self-Help Groups
Social roles
Social Support
Technology
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Summary:The article investigates the role of the social in medicine through an empirical study of social technologies in Diabetes 2 and COPD patient education in Denmark. It demonstrates how the social at the same time is the cause of disease but also functions as a solution to the problem. Furthermore it suggests that the patient groups have an ambiguous role in medicine; they appear to be organized as communities of empowerment, critical of the individualizing effects of medicine, but at the same time these groups are embedded in medical practices, transferring responsibility for illness and health to the level of the citizens. The article provides an empirical analysis of how the social in patient education works. The empirical analysis challenges an existing understanding that patient groups automatically support healthy lifestyle changes. We point out the multiple ways in which the social works.
ISSN:1363-4593
1461-7196
DOI:10.1177/1363459311416835