RESUMEN
Resumo O mundo presencia atualmente a emergência do “paciente informado”: indivíduo inteirado sobre sua condição de saúde, devido à pesquisa extensa e ao compartilhamento de informação que realiza na internet. Este artigo analisa a seguinte questão: “paciente informado” promove o empoderamento do cidadão ou amplia a dominação dos saberes biomédicos instituídos? Foi realizado estudo exploratório em três grupos on-line no Facebook que reúnem portadores de diabetes, hepatite C e Aids, utilizando a etnografia virtual. Os resultados indicam que há tensões pontuais entre frequentadores de grupoon-line e seus médicos assistentes. É possível que o empoderamento proporcionado pela internet e a validade dos saberes médicos na atualidade não sejam dimensões mutuamente excludentes.
Abstract Today’s world has brought the emergence of the “informed patient:” someone who becomes well-informed about his or her medical condition through extensive research and information-sharing on the Internet. The article explores the following question: Do informed patients foster citizen empowerment or do they expand the command of existing biomedical knowledge? Using virtual ethnography, an exploratory study was conducted on three online Facebook groups of people with diabetes, hepatitis C, and Aids. Findings suggest points of tension between Facebook members and their healthcare providers. It may be that the empowerment fostered by the Internet and the validity of current medical knowledge are not mutually exclusive.
Asunto(s)
Humanos , Participación del Paciente , Relaciones Médico-Paciente , Medios de Comunicación Sociales , Síndrome de Inmunodeficiencia Adquirida , Antropología Cultural , Diabetes Mellitus , Hepatitis C , Poder PsicológicoRESUMEN
Today's world has brought the emergence of the "informed patient:" someone who becomes well-informed about his or her medical condition through extensive research and information-sharing on the Internet. The article explores the following question: Do informed patients foster citizen empowerment or do they expand the command of existing biomedical knowledge? Using virtual ethnography, an exploratory study was conducted on three online Facebook groups of people with diabetes, hepatitis C, and Aids. Findings suggest points of tension between Facebook members and their healthcare providers. It may be that the empowerment fostered by the Internet and the validity of current medical knowledge are not mutually exclusive.