"In really great danger?".The concept of risk in general practice
- 1 January 2001
- journal article
- Published by Informa UK Limited in Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care
- Vol. 19 (2), 71-75
- https://doi.org/10.1080/028134301750235268
Abstract
The language of risk has many meanings, and in this article we demonstrate a discrepancy between individually perceived risk and the medical understanding of risk as understood and communicated by general practitioners (GPs). Risk is experienced and interpreted by people in a cultural context, i.e. the same objective risk can be perceived in many different ways and given a different meaning in daily life. GPs' evaluation of risk is made on the basis of our epidemiological knowledge, the medical culture of risk perception and the GP's personal experience and interpretation. The theoretical focus in the article is a synthesis of two theories: patient-centred general practice and theory based in anthropology about risk as culturally and socially constructed. We use empirical data from a qualitative study to illuminate the discussion.Keywords
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