Part of
Reference and Identity in Public DiscoursesEdited by Ursula Lutzky and Minna Nevala
[Pragmatics & Beyond New Series 306] 2019
► pp. 205–225
Edited by Ursula Lutzky and Minna Nevala
[Pragmatics & Beyond New Series 306] 2019
► pp. 205–225
To be or not to be … a patient
Identity construction of healthcare professionals and patients in public online diabetes-related interaction
This study offers an analysis of medical and emotional identity features put forward by participants asking questions and providing answers in three types of public online diabetes-related interaction in Spanish (frequently asked questions, chat sessions and fora). The results show that many writers present themselves not as diabetics but as relatives of a diabetic, or else refrain from specifying their relation to diabetes. Furthermore, as no shared patient-professional identity is constructed, the healthcare relationship profiled is a rather traditional one. The differing natures of the platforms and genres are reflected in the identities constructed. In the FAQs a more impersonal or collective identity is apparent, whereas that constructed in the forum tends to be more personal, with more emotional aspects; the chat data occupy an intermediate position.
Keywords: identity, reference, online discourse, healthcare interaction, pragmatics, deixis, Spanish
Article outline
- 1.Context and research aims
- 1.1Context
- 1.2Research aims
- 2.Methodology and corpus
- 3.Analysis
- 3.1Patient identity
- 3.2Relatives’ identity
- 3.3Healthcare professional identity
- 4.Conclusion
-
Acknowledgements -
References
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