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Develop patient education or major reorganizations of public action?Social and historical study of one association in France for therapeutic patient education Volume 36, issue 2, Juin 2018

Authors
* Clément Perrier, Science Politique, PACTE Grenoble/L-VIS Lyon, Pacte/IEP, 38040 Grenoble, France
** Claire Perrin, sociologue, L-VIS Lyon, L-VIS - UCBL1 - Bâtiment Raphaël Dubois, 8, rue R. Dubois, 69622 Villeurbanne, France

In France, patient education developed in community groups, mainly through professional trainings and research activities that have been supported by the associative and academic sectors. The social and historical study of one of the oldest associations in France (Afdet) combines theoretical frameworks from health sociology and political sciences. The analysis focuses on specialized magazines published since 1990 by this association and a collection of qualitative data featuring 22 interviews with key actors. Even if the reformist stance appears as a continuity in the history of the association, it also gave rise to tensions between the different actors and paved the way towards two major reorganizations. It is a new concept of the health and caring process that this organization, analysed as a « laboratory of idea engineering » and the developer of a construction of public action away from institutions, is willing to spread.