Patient Participation in Health Care Consultations: Qualitative Perspectives

Sarah Collins has a background in languages, communication and social sciences. She designs and teaches courses on communication in nursing and medicine at postgraduate, undergraduate and continuing professional development level. She researches patient-professional communication in health care consultations using conversation analysis and comparative and interdisciplinary techniques. Professor Nicky Britten (MSc, PhD, FRCGP Hon), Co-editorInstitute of Health and Social Care ResearchPeninsula Medical SchoolNicky Britten is a sociologist with a particular interest in patient-doctor communication about prescribed medicines. She has been involved with postgraduate education for healthcare professionals for many years and is currently leading a new MSc in Integrated Health Care. She is co editor of the Oxford Textbook of Primary Medical Care. Dr. Johanna Ruusuvuori (PhD) Co-editor Assistant Professor in Social PsychologyDept. of Sociology and Social PsychologyUniversity of TampereJohanna Ruusuvuori is a social psychologist with an interest in interaction between professionals and clients in health care environments. She has been involved in several research projects studying doctor-patient communication and homeopathy. Her current research interests include the study of emotion in social interaction, interaction and outcome in health care services, and comparison of different types of health care encounters. Andrew Thompson (BSc, PhD), Co-editor Senior Lecturer in Advanced Quantitative Methods, School of Social and Political Studies, University of Edinburgh Andy Thompson is a social scientist with a background in management and public policy. He teaches courses on the politics of the public sector, as well as social statistics. Research interests include patient and public involvement in health services and the measurement of patient satisfaction.