Introduction - For the past 15 years in France, the fight against healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) has been actively promoted by public authorities. The law of March 4, 2002, strengthened patients’ rights and gave concrete expression to the commitment to transparency toward users of the healthcare system. Methods - INPES partnered with INVS in early 2006 to conduct a telephone survey assessing the general public’s perception of nosocomial risk. Results - Among the most feared diseases, HIs ranked 7th (3.63% of responses); 46% of respondents believed that the risk of contracting a nosocomial infection had increased over the past 10 years. Discussion - The general public’s perception of a growing nosocomial risk contradicts the results of surveillance data. The mechanisms underlying this perception must be studied to better tailor messages intended for healthcare system users. (R.A.)