The shiny new object: Deconstructing the patient-oriented paradigm in health sciences

Area of Science:

• Health Sciences
• Medical Research
• Public Health

Background:

• The patient-oriented research paradigm, also termed patient and public engagement, is increasingly prevalent in health sciences.
• While seemingly beneficial, this approach may lead to unintended negative consequences and become an ideological 'good'.
• Its current form may diverge from its origins in more radical patient engagement methods, such as critical participatory research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically deconstruct the dominant narrative surrounding patient-oriented research in health sciences.
• To expose the unexamined assumptions and perceived inherent 'goodness' of this research discourse.

Main Methods:

• Employing a deconstructive approach, inspired by Derrida's philosophy.
• Analyzing the underlying presuppositions and claims of patient-oriented discourse.

Main Results:

• Deconstruction reveals how patient-oriented research can reinforce existing biomedical and economic power structures.
• The approach risks depoliticizing genuinely participatory research elements.
• It is presented as an evolution of evidence-based practice, obscuring its potential limitations.

Conclusions:

• Patient-oriented research should be critically examined rather than accepted as inherently positive.
• To be truly effective, patient-oriented research must resist assimilation into dominant paradigms and affirm its radical, participatory, and emancipatory potential.