title: Misuse (and abuse?) of the Concept of Empowerment.The Case of Online Offer of Predictive Direct-to-consumer Genetic Tests.
abstract: Using the field of direct-to-consumer genetic tests as a case in point, this paper argues against the misuse of the term empowerment, and calls for a regulation of its usage. The misleading assumption under certain current usages of the concept of empowerment is that it is enhanced by the provision of health information. While the information-empowerment correlation is misleading, if not wrong, the feeling of being empowered imposes an increasing burden of critical thinking on those people (patients and consumers) who have to evaluate that information and act for the benefit of their health.
authors.affiliation: Section of Hygien, Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Brescia , Italy.
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Covolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences and Health Policy, University of Lucerne and Swiss Paraplegic Research , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rubinelli
authors.affiliation: Section of Hygien, Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Brescia , Italy.
authors.forename: Grazia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Orizio
authors.affiliation: Section of Hygien, Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Brescia , Italy.
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gelatti
keywords: empowerment; genetic tests direct-to-consumer; internet