University of Sussex
Browse

File(s) not publicly available

Arguing about the evidence: readers, writers and inscription devices in coronary heart disease risk assessment

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 19:56 authored by Catherine WillCatherine Will
This paper examines the history of tools developed to assess an individual's risk of coronary heart disease. A close reading of the tools themselves is combined with an analysis of debates published in medical journals such as the British Medical Journal (BMJ) and The Lancet. These literary conversations between scientists and doctors reveal complex negotiations about the form and meaning of medical technologies that have yet to become fully 'stable'. Early tools were promoted as a response to the high cost of cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins), but came to embody broader attempts to shape medical practice. These include the promotion of what has been understood as evidence-based medicine and regulation by political and professional actors, as well as the spread of 'risk thinking' more generally. Despite having a central place in recent British guidelines and policy, there is a surprising variety of tools in circulation, and ongoing uncertainty about their use and valu

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Sociology of Health and Illness

ISSN

01419889

Publisher

Wiley

Issue

6

Volume

27

Page range

780-801

Pages

22.0

Department affiliated with

  • Sociology and Criminology Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-06

Usage metrics

    University of Sussex (Publications)

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC