Funded by an Australian Research Council Discovery grant, this project explores how optimistic expectations arise and shape the practices of testing in healthcare. It will reveal the mechanisms by which these expectations are created, circulate and function among different stakeholder communities, and how these expectations, in turn, influence policies and practices of testing in different contexts. It will focus in particular on questions such as:
- How do particular socio-cultural factors help to produce and sustain expectations that may be higher than warranted by scientific evidence?
- Do some factors play a greater role than others and, if so, why?
- How do different healthcare contexts shape the meanings attributed to tests—their perceived applications, value and risks?
To address these questions, the study will employ a multi-method approach, involving the following key methods: 1) a content analysis of relevant media and policy documents; 2) surveys and interviews with stakeholders in the field of testing technologies; 3) interviews with patients and GPs about testing in clinical contexts and; 4) interviews with participants in national cancer screening programs. The findings will be translated into practical strategies for policy and service provision via a research workshop for policymakers, stakeholder communities and patient groups.
The insights generated by the study will assist researchers, policymakers, health practitioners, peak patient organisations and regulatory authorities to understand better how expectations are created and sustained in the field of testing technologies. This knowledge will provide a much-needed evidence base to inform strategies such as:
- refining guidelines for testing in general practice;
- improving regulatory oversight of the use of tests in clinical practice; and
- formulating policies regarding expenditure on health technologies.