Citizens' health services

The debate on citizenship in health care is nowadays really important, not only in Italy. The critical reflections connected to the new practices of citizenship are increasing, as stated by Giovanni Moro in the Editorial. The article by Joao Arriscado Nunes is an evidence for that, especially because the experiences he mentions (the mobilization for the recognition of health rights and not only for general rights) are spread all over the world. It is not by chance, that the issue of articles proposed in this volume is strictly connected to health participation.
The recognition of rights is usually the result of social movements often participated by citizens and specialists' associations involved in healthcare delivery. There are also other issues connected with the conceptual couple citizenship-participation empowerment, deliberative democracy, citizen's activism, third sector's role.
But who is the "citizen"? Is s/he only a customer? What are the relationship between him/her, in terms of participation with the other healthcare professionals and health managers? The volume shows the complexity of these questions and goes deeper in the different roles played by the citizen: the care-giver/citizen, the activist/citizen, the expert/citizen.

Leonardo Altieri is Associate Professor at the "Università di Bologn" and teaches Evaluations of healthcare system and Social policy. He wrote many articles about evaluation and citizenship-participation.
Maria Augusta Nicoli is in charge of community, equity and participation's sector at "Agenzia Sanitaria e Sociale Regionale" (Health Care Agency) of Emilia-Romagna area.
Vittoria Sturlese is coordinator of the listening and citizenships/professionals participation point at Agenzia Sanitaria e Sociale Regionale" (Health CareAgency) of Emilia-Romagna area.