| A | B |
|---|
| health consumer | anyone who purchases or uses health products or services |
| media | the various methods of communicating information |
| advertising | written or spoken media message designed to interest consumers in purchasing a product or service |
| comparison shopping | a method of judging the benefits of different products by comparing several factors, such as quality, features, and cost |
| warranty | a company's or a store's written agreement to repair a product or refund your money should the product not function properly |
| online shopping | using the Internet to buy products and services |
| health care system | all the medical care available to a nation's people, the way they receive care, and the method of payment |
| primary care physician | medical doctors who provide physical checkups and general care, as well as school nurses and dentists |
| specialist | medical doctors trained to handle particular kinds of patients or medical conditions |
| preventive care | actions that prevent the onset of disease or injury |
| health insurance | a plan in which private companies or government programs pay for part or all of a person's medical costs |
| medical history | complete and comprehensive information about your immunizations and any health problems you have had to date |
| fraud | deliberate deceit or trickery |
| health fraud | the sale of worthless products or services that claim to prevent diseases or cure other health problems |
| malpractice | failure by a health professional to meet accepted standards |
| consumer advocates | people or groups whose sole purpose is to take on regional, national, and even international consumer issues |
| public health | community-wide effort to monitor and promote the welfare of the population |
| epidemiology | the scientific study of patterns of disease in a population |
