[Physicians' role in prevention and health promotion policy: canton reports on health status].

With the example of a study on population health in the Swiss cantons Jura and Neuchâtel, the paper proposes a mechanism for priority setting of problems that could be acted upon preventively. Concepts are reviewed: public health needs as defined by epidemiology, supply of preventive activities, demands expressed by the population and different stakeholders. The role of general practitioners is stressed, not only as preventive services suppliers, but also as actors of priority setting.