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Study looking at effects of increasingly well-informed patients wins Bupa Foundation grant

18 March 2002

The Bupa Foundation has awarded a grant of over £80,000 to a study focusing on the impact of some patients becoming more knowledgeable than their doctors about certain conditions and how they should be managed.

The study is one of three to be awarded grants totalling £600,000 by the Bupa Foundation this year. All three projects look specifically at the role of patient choice and education in healthcare.

Bupa's medical director Dr Andrew Vallance-Owen said, "There is a lot of talk about the patient as a consumer but there has been little research on patient involvement in healthcare. The Bupa Foundation therefore decided to take a proactive role in advancing thinking and practice in this important area and has committed £600,000 to support these exciting research projects. We look forward to seeing the results of these studies over the coming years and hope they will benefit patients directly."

The study led by Dr Darren Shickle of the University of Sheffield's School of Health and Related Research will explore how patients, carers and health professionals use or feel threatened by others' expertise. The research will also look at how this role reversal can lead to either a willingness to learn from each other or result in strained relationships.

"Patients have been increasingly encouraged to take responsibility for their own health and many read up about diseases from a variety of sources including the internet. Doctors potentially have to know about a large number of diseases, many of which can be very rare. It is not surprising that a situation may arise where the patient or their family can have more knowledge about certain aspects of a specific condition and its treatment than the health professionals looking after them. During the course of our study we hope to identify characteristics which can help to enhance, maintain and repair relationships where "expert" patients have greater clinical knowledge than the professionals responsible for providing care," said Dr Shickle.

Bupa's medical director Dr Andrew Vallance-Owen said, "The Bupa Foundation believes this piece of research could benefit both patients and health professionals considerably as patients are increasingly encouraged to inform themselves about their conditions and take an interest in their health. However we want to avoid a situation in which patients' increasing knowledge threatens health professionals and causes them to feel defensive."

The Bupa Foundation is a charitable organisation founded in 1979 that exists to provide finance towards the prevention, relief and cure of sickness and ill health. The Bupa Foundation has awarded grants in excess of £8 million for medical research and healthcare initiatives. This year the Bupa Foundation has committed £600,000 to fund research projects looking at the impact of patient choice and education.