Making expertise fit: On the use of certified versus experiential knowledge in becoming an informed patient

Abstract

This article reports a discursive psychological study of online conversations among patients with ADHD, diabetes, or ALS on what constitutes an "informed patient." Being informed means different things for different patient groups. Whether patients prioritize experiential or certified expert knowledge is not indicative of patients' preferences per se but depends on how they give meaning to the responsibilities particular to their disease. ADHD patients hold each other accountable for demonstrating the seriousness of their disease. ALS patients use expert information to orient to a norm of thinking positive. Diabetes patients challenge experts to carve out independence from the diabetes regimen.

Online peer support for people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): a narrative synthesis systematic review

“…All studies included in this review used a qualitative design. The most frequently used method was content analysis ( 21 , 31 – 36 ). Other methods include an asynchronous online focus group ( 22 ), interviews ( 33 ), and a case study ( 34 ).…”

“…All studies focused on text-based, asynchronous (not in real time) communication and covered different platforms. Discussion forums were covered most frequently ( 21 , 33 , 35 , 36 ), followed by the PatientsLikeMe platform ( 31 , 32 , 37 ). Hemsley and Palmer ( 34 ) analysed Twitter, and Caron and Light ( 22 ) used a Wikispace for their online focus group.…”

“…Hemsley and Palmer ( 34 ) analysed Twitter, and Caron and Light ( 22 ) used a Wikispace for their online focus group. Most studies analysed a moderated platform, meaning that one or multiple people monitor the posts or facilitate the discussion ( 22 , 31 – 33 , 37 ), whereas others were unmoderated ( 34 ) or it was not specified ( 21 , 35 , 36 ) ( Table 2 ).…”

Expertise as a domain of epistemics in intensive care shift-handovers

“…Although our use of ‘expertise’ is related to its use in studies of identity and membership categories (e.g. Versteeg and te Molder, 2021), we will treat expertise primarily as part of the domain of epistemics.…”

“…Similar to previous studies on expertise (e.g. Mogendorff et al, 2016; Versteeg and te Molder, 2021), we treat expertise as a form of knowledge associated with participants’ professional status. However, in our data we encounter expertise not as an orientation to knowing that but as an orientation to knowing how.…”