Policy at the grassroots: community-based participation in health care policy

American Health Decisions is a developing social movement that aims to work at the grassroots level to educate people about issues and problems in health care and to promote public involvement in decision making about health policy. The movement offers nurses opportunities to expand their traditional commitment to involving people in decisions about their health. By promoting the development of the movement, nurses can contribute to the creation of a structured process of direct public participation in policy decisions related to health care. Nurses may have a special role to play in the movement by promoting the participation of low-income people.