Conception of man in diagnostic radiography research – A discourse analysis of research articles from the journal radiography

AimTo analyse discourses of conceptions of man in scientific texts of diagnostic radiography and how these conceptions are constructed in texts.BackgroundIn this article conception of man refers to assumptions researchers have when selecting targets for research, choosing methods and making hypotheses.MethodA discourse analysis is being applied in this article to find discourses in scientific texts on diagnostic radiography. The material consisted of 45 articles from the journal Radiography from February 2009 to August 2013.FindingsFour main discourses were found. They were named technology-centred, patient-centred, doubtful patient and invisible patient discourses. In the technology-centred discourse patients were usually seen as an anonymous group, and they were passive. In the patient-centred discourse patient experiences were often sought and researchers tried to understand patients' emotions, physical abilities and social context. Patients were seen as individuals and active agents. In the doubtful patient discourse patients are not always trusted. In this discourse health care professionals often know better what is for the good of the patient. In the invisible patient discourse patients are invisible to the radiographer/researcher. They are seen merely as body parts, symptoms or diseases.