Including patients’ perspectives in patient information leaflets: A polyocular approach

Abstract

Existing research reveals that patients’ perspectives are missing from mandatory patient information leaflets (PILs). At the same time, there is overwhelming consensus that they should be included in this genre, and a corresponding need for potential approaches to tackle this problem. This paper examines the appropriateness of perspectivist theory as a means of conceptualising the underrepresentation of patients’ perspectives in PILs. It also offers a framework for a possible solution that draws on polyocular theory, as polyocular approaches can support communication across perspectival asymmetries. The paper contributes theoretically in its innovative use of perspectivist theory in relation to text, and in identifying that the insights of polyocularity could valuably inform a new health communication paradigm, as current health communication paradigms do not fully recognize patients’ perspectives. Apart from its theoretical contributions, the paper includes guidelines to support the production of PILs where patients’ perspectives are included. The guidelines are informed by practices that have characterised previous polyocular communication events, as well as research into how to maximize patient participation in contexts
where various forms of expertise are at play.