Public Discourse and Health Policies

The questions addressed in the book revolve around the public nature of health as an asset and the rights associated with it, by drawing attention to sociology's role in shedding light on current dynamics and understanding how they may change in the future.

Nicoletta Bosco is Full Professor of the Sociology of Cultural and Communication Processes at the Department of Cultures, Politics and Society, Università di Torino, Italy.

Introduction: information and health in a changing world 1. International health service rankings: reflections from an Italian perspective 2. Bringing healthcare policies into focus: measuring, describing, evaluating and choosing 3. Rationing and communication ambiguities 4. Images of health: public discourse, information, ignorance and communication Conclusion: knowledge about the past and discourses about the future