Uncertainty Isn't the Problem; It's a Paradox that Promotes Possibility: Three Strategies from Critical Disability...

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Disability Studies
• Sociology of Medicine

Background:

• Uncertainty and disability are significant yet underexplored areas in medicine.
• Current medical culture often negatively views both uncertainty and disability, influenced by biases and ableist practices.
• Overemphasis on certainty and curing disability has led to negative patient outcomes and physician burnout.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the interaction between uncertainty and disability in clinical settings.
• To propose strategies for reframing uncertainty as a positive force in healthcare.
• To advocate for a more equitable, person-centered approach to medical care.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing the social model of disability to inform reframing strategies.
• Applying Paul Han's framework for tolerance to address biases and mental models.
• Examining knowledge systems and labels through a critical lens for epistemic justice.
• Incorporating concepts from disability activism, such as Eli Clare's "un-choosing of disability."

Main Results:

• Three interrelated strategies are proposed to reframe uncertainty as a source of possibility.
• Reappraising mental models can dismantle structural barriers and preserve subjectivity.
• Re-examining ways of knowing can promote epistemic justice and challenge ableist logic.
• Reclaiming uncertainty, rather than avoiding disability, can foster meaning and improve relational care.

Conclusions:

• A praxis is established to foster tolerance for uncertainty and bodily variability in medicine.
• Embracing paradox and discomfort can transform uncertainty from a limitation into a liberating force.
• These strategies contribute to a more equitable and person-centered medical culture, promoting epistemic justice.