USeRS’ASSociAtionS And heAlth pRioRitieS: A deMocRAtic deficit

Abstract

Can users’associations propose priorities and actions on health? Following a consultation of Franche-Comté citizens in choosing healthcare priorities for the Franche-Comté, 38 FrancheComté representatives of users’associations chose their healthcare priorities on 2 October 2010, to create a hierarchy of priorities and propose concrete initiatives to implement these. They retain the same five priorities in the same order (to have a home, to eat properly, to benefit from a certain income, to benefit from quality water and to develop screening for and control of cancer). They also add five : access to education, enhanced support of the elderly, consideration of stress and mental health, social security preservation and support of the current number of staff in hospitals. They propose a total of 57 actions for these 10 priorities. Health determinants are prioritized and actions are proposed as part of an interministerial policy in health and environment. Such public inquiry may be helpful to regional health authorities in order to identify and validate priorities that are complementary to national priorities, particularly to reduce discrepancies in their region.