Managing one's body using self-management techniques: practicing autonomy

This paper discusses some of the anthropological and philosophical features of the use of self-management plans by patients with a chronic disease, fo cusing on patients with asthma. Characteristics of this technologically med iated form of self-care are contrasted with the work of Mauss and Foucault on body techniques and techniques of self. The similarities and differences between self-management of asthma and Foucault's technologies of self high light some of the ways in which self-management contributes to modification s in the definitions of patients and physicians. Patients, in measuring the ir lung function, first come to rely on measurements more than on felt dist urbances, but next, felt disturbances become modified by previous measureme nts. Physicians, on the other hand, see their role changed from expert to b eing a participant in a joint treatment. It is argued that the concept of a gency is more appropriate for describing the advantage of self-management f or patients than autonomy.