PATIENT EDUCATION FOR THE MILLENNIUM - BEYOND CONTROL AND EMANCIPATION

This paper reports on a study carried out in Nottinghamshire, UK, whic h focused upon patient education for low back pain in general (family) practice. This study found that patient education could not be viewed simply as either a repressive social control mechanism or as a vehicl e for patient empowerment and social change. The paper suggests that a new theoretical and practical orientation to patient education is req uired which transcends binary categorizations. The existing control/em powerment dichotomy offers a persuasive, yet restrictive conceptualiza tion of patient education which has created rival camps of theoreticia ns and practitioners intent on demonizing each other. In the light of presented findings, the study suggests a new trajectory for patient ed ucation focusing on local possibilities for change. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.