Parity: (im) possible? Interplay of knowledge forms in patient education.

A central purpose is to examine the kind of knowledge that patient experience represents; its origin, properties and tenability. We will use the term insider knowledge to designate the knowledge, beliefs and viewpoints constructed by patients about their own illnesses and predicaments more generally. It is our contention that an analysis of insider knowledge is necessary if the value of such knowledge for patient education is to be reasonably assessed. We discuss the epistemological status of professional knowledge and insider knowledge and what it might mean to afford them parity. Basically, we argue that patient-oriented programmes must give insider knowledge a status that acknowledges its privileged access to the insider's own intentions, perceptions, evaluations, decisions, reasons, notions and feelings, and thus yields distinctive insight into these areas. At the same time, patient education will be stunted if the fallibility of such knowledge is not openly addressed.