Health Administration Department, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada.
J Health Organ Manag. 2010;24(2):167-81. doi: 10.1108/14777261011047336.
Implementing information and communication technologies (ICT) is often mentioned as a strategy that can foster public involvement and responsibility in health. The purpose of this paper is to provide a better understanding of the possibilities and issues afforded by the social uses of ICT for personal empowerment in health.
DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The paper discusses evidence from four case studies that characterize current computerization and networking processes in health. The studies shared a global framework comprising four interpretative paradigms of personal empowerment: the professional, technocratic, consumerist and democratic paradigms.
The results show the coexistence of four empowerment logics in ICT use. Two trends proved dominant: a strengthening of the control and standardization processes tied to the typical power relationships in health, and a reinforcement of personal autonomy and self-assertion processes, either through commercial relationships or through the social relationships that are also present.
The paper supports the argument that in order to understand the opportunities for personal empowerment offered by ICT the logic underlying user practices in their respective contexts must be examined.
ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The paper uses data from four case studies to illustrate the contradictory logics shaping the personal empowerment process. Under these logics, an ICT user may play roles as patient, client, consumer, or citizen.
实施信息和通信技术（ICT）常被提及为一种可以促进公众参与和对健康负责的策略。本文的目的是更好地理解社会对 ICT 的使用为个人在健康方面赋权所带来的可能性和问题。
设计/方法/途径：本文讨论了四个案例研究的证据，这些案例研究描绘了当前健康领域的计算机化和网络化进程。这些研究共有一个全球框架，包括个人赋权的四个解释范式：专业范式、技术统治范式、消费主义范式和民主范式。
结果表明，在 ICT 使用中存在着四种赋权逻辑的共存。两种趋势证明占主导地位：与健康中典型权力关系相关的控制和标准化进程的加强，以及通过商业关系或通过也存在的社会关系加强个人自主权和自我主张的进程。
本文支持这样一种观点，即要理解 ICT 提供的个人赋权机会，必须研究用户在各自背景下实践背后的逻辑。
原创性/价值：本文使用来自四个案例研究的数据来说明塑造个人赋权过程的矛盾逻辑。在这些逻辑下，ICT 用户可以扮演患者、客户、消费者或公民的角色。
