Patient empowerment in theory and practice: polysemy or cacophony?
OBJECTIVE
This paper examines how the term "empowerment" has been used in relation to the care and education of patients with chronic conditions over the past decade.


METHODS
Fifty-five articles were analysed, using a qualitative method of thematic analysis.


RESULTS
Empowerment is more often defined according to some of its anticipated outcomes rather than to its very nature. However, because they do not respect the principle of self-determination, most anticipated outcomes and most evaluation criteria are not specific to empowerment. Concerning the process of empowerment, our analysis shows that (i) the educational objectives of an empowerment-based approach are not disease-specific, but concern the reinforcement or development of general psychosocial skills instead; (ii) empowering methods of education are necessarily patient-centred and based on experiential learning; and (iii) the provider-patient relationship needs to be continuous and self-involving on both sides.


CONCLUSIONS
Our analysis did not allow for the unfolding of a well-articulated theory on patient empowerment but revealed a number of guiding principles and values.


CONCLUSIONS
The goals and outcomes of patient empowerment should neither be predefined by the health-care professionals, nor restricted to some disease and treatment-related outcomes, but should be discussed and negotiated with every patient, according to his/her own particular situation and life priorities.
Aujoulat
Isabelle
I
Health and Patient Education Unit RESO, Université Catholique de Louvain, Bruxelles, Belgium. isabelle.aujoulat@reso.ucl.ac.be
d'Hoore
William
W
Deccache
Alain
A
D001294:Attitude to Health; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D003142:Communication; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008019:Life Style; D017145:Models, Educational; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D011209:Power, Psychological; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D011582:Psychological Theory; D011588:Psychology, Educational; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012107:Research Design; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology; D020377:Self Efficacy