Chronic noncommunicable diseases and dilemmas of care: The theory of negotiated order revisited

Abstract

In Brazil, chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have high mortality rates. From a socio-anthropological perspective, NCD realistically depict patients’ experience in all dimensions of their lives, either regarding their symbolic and socioeconomic aspects or their interaction with health professionals. The negotiated order theory, created by Isabelle Baszanger and grounded on the interactionist approach, deals with physician-patient relationship in chronic diseases, which establishes a permanent negotiation between both parties. Opposed to the idea of the patient as a merely passive subject, the theory postulates patients’ protagonism in scenarios that will require the physician to negotiate. This construction occurs in all spheres of social life: work, family, and health settings, where patients seek to maintain their social integration. For patients, the negotiated order theory represents first and foremost a means to manage their identity, whereby they may adopt techniques for controling symptoms and treatment, aiming to maintain or restore a normal life. This study seeks to revisit this theory by interacting with different authors and reflections offered by previous ethnographic research.