Ideology in the clinical context: chronic illness, ethnicity and the discourse on normalisation

摘要: This paper is based on a comparative study examining how Chinese and white families manage the care of chronically ill child. The circumstances their lives that shape experience illness are explored. It argued ideologies which underpin Western health practices, in this case, ‘ideology normalisation’, often differ from perspectives held by non-Western immigrants, others who do not have access to ideology. discrepancies viewpoints between patients practitioners can lead different set goals treatment encounter, with possibility misunderstandings clinical context. The normalisation’ used show professional serve as means separating out into those comply not. In other words, ideology, moral discourse normalisation, permit professionals evaluate categorise them. categorisation has consequences for patient care, they might be refused treatment. Yet, ideology merely ‘value-free theories’, but located within order. socio-political, economic historical factors discussed.