The expert and the lay public: Reflections on influenza A (H1N1) and the risk society

C. Dupras and B. Williams-Jones

American Journal of Public Health, 2012, vol. 102, issue 4, 591-595

Abstract: Trust between the lay public and scientific experts is a key element to ensuring the efficient implementation of emergency public healthmeasures. In modern risk societies, the management and elimination of risk have become preeminent drivers of public policy. In this context, the protection of public trust is a complex task. Those actors involved in public health decision-making and implementation (e.g., mass vaccination for influenza A virus) are confronted with growing pressures and responsibility to act. However, they also need to accept the limits of their own expertise and recognize the ability of lay publics to understand and be responsible for public health. Such a shared responsibility forriskmanagement,ifgrounded in participative public debates, can arguably strengthen public trust in public health authorities and interventions.

Date: 2012
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300417

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2011.300417_6

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300417

Access Statistics for this article

American Journal of Public Health is currently edited by Alfredo Morabia

More articles in American Journal of Public Health from American Public Health Association
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Christopher F Baum ().