Tag: experiential knowledge

Understanding Parkinson’s: The curse of knowledge

I just realised that I have probably been suffering from the “curse of knowledge” when trying to explain Parkinson’s (PD) to people. With this I mean that things that are obvious to me are probably not as obvious to others when it comes to understanding Parkinson’s. Let me demonstrate with a few examples: Biomarkers in…… Continue reading Understanding Parkinson’s: The curse of knowledge

This is why patient involvement is important for improving healthcare or “It seems inconvenient, but if you really want to, you can try”

Image copied from: http://healthecommunications.wordpress.com/2012/02/02/patient-engagement-versus-physician-engagement-which-comes-first/

(This blog post is also available in Swedish =>> here) Most people living with Parkinson’s disease take a lot of pills, multiple times a day. After having Parkinson’s for a while, it’s not uncommon to be prescribed 3-4 different types of medications to be taken in various combinations 4-6 times each day. One of my…… Continue reading This is why patient involvement is important for improving healthcare or “It seems inconvenient, but if you really want to, you can try”

Classification of patient knowledge

Classification of patient knowledge by source of learning. (From: Dumez, V., & L’Espérance, A. (2024). Beyond experiential knowledge: A classification of patient knowledge. Social Theory & Health.)

I vividly remember the first time I realized that my neurologist and I are in possession of vastly different although complementary types of knowledge. At the time, I had been a patient of his for a couple of years and in between appointments, I would write my questions about Parkinson’s disease (PD), my treatment, and…… Continue reading Classification of patient knowledge

Patients’ experiential knowledge and expertise

Image generated with ChatGPT 4o using the following prompt: "A scene depicting two individuals side by side. On the left, a person is reading a book or manual, symbolizing theoretical knowledge. On the right, another person is engaged in a hands-on activity, such as fixing a car, cooking a complex dish, or navigating a challenging hiking trail. The person performing the task is confident and skillful, illustrating their experiential expertise gained through direct involvement and personal experience."

I recently came across a very interesting scientific article, published almost 50 years ago, with concepts that are definitely still relevant and important today: Borkman, T. (1976). Experiential Knowledge: A New Concept for the Analysis of Self-Help Groups. Social Service Review, 50(3), 445–456. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/643401 I have been a chronic disease patient now for almost four decades and a…… Continue reading Patients’ experiential knowledge and expertise