Abstract

The foundations of this work of research derived by the demonstration that the health is conditioning of a multiplicity by factors, the control of which is not exercised by the only health care system. Health inequalities, representing one of the most unjust and severe inequitable forms because health is one of the pre-conditions in order to live out fully individual life. Health inequality constitutes one of the worst scandals of our time, especially in developed and democratic countries. The theme of health inequalities is a subject beloved to the sociology, because their analysis allows, either to observe the social dynamics, either to understand as the social differences are distributed between the individuals within the society, especially with the current global economic crisis. The main objective of this study is, using comparative analysis, identify and distinguish the inequalities in health in the relationship between social conditions, risk factors, territorial context and state of health of the population, in two European countries (France and Italy), in order to understand their dynamics and as the territorial context affects the inequalities of health of individuals. Through a transnational approach this research project identifies differences and similarities between the two case studies. The results from our analysis, demonstrate the existence of "unexpected" similarities between groups of French and Italian people, despite different characteristics of social welfare and health systems.