About
I have a master’s degree in philosophy and work on medical ethics. My PhD project is about paternalism and autonomy in doctor-patient communication. To be more specific, I explore what happens in the conversation when a doctor suggests one treatment course but the patient wants another – and how doctors should behave in situations like these.
My project rests on qualitative analyses of video-recorded doctor-patient encounters, as well as normative discussions. Some central questions are: Is it acceptable to persuade a patient to treatment when the patient is reluctant? How can patient fear affect shared decision-making, and what should doctors do when patients are afraid of treatment? What kind of information should doctors give patients about upcoming treatment – and why?
Research groups
Research projects
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Paternalism in doctor-patient communication
A doctor acts paternalistically if she forces, pressures or deceives a patient because she believes that it will make him better off. Examples of paternalism in medical ethics include compulsory treatment, refraining from telling a patient about the severity of his condition to protect him from anxiety, and refusing to offer a treatment that the patient requests on the grounds that he might regret it later.
Publications and research
Scientific publications
Fleisje, Anniken
(2023).
Paternalistic persuasion: are doctors paternalistic when persuading patients, and how does persuasion differ from convincing and recommending?.
12 p.
Medicine, Health care and Philosophy.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11019-023-10142-2
