How well are the French? What are the most important health-related issues for children of under 15 years of age, for young and older adults, for the elderly? What geographically and socially based inequalities affect health status? How can patients and users of the health care system -- members of the public -- be brought into the making of decisions that affect them in this literally vital field? Is our health care system well organised? And is it working in an efficient and democratic way? How are questions of resource allocation settled? This is the third in a series of official reports (the previous ones were published in 1994 and 1998) compiled by the High Committee on Public Health to analyse health status in the country, with an in-depth review of the strengths and weaknesses of the system as a whole. This report combines a critical analysis of the current health care system with a review of key current and projected health-related issues, focusing on public health targets identified from as broad and all-inclusive a perspective as possible.