Pedro Alcântara Silva is a Research Fellow at the Instituto de Ciências Sociais da Universidade de Lisboa. He holds a Degree in Sociology (1999), a Post-Graduation in Communication, Culture and Information Technology (2001) and a PhD (2010) in Sociology from ISCTE – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa.

His current research interests are in the fields of Sociology of Health and Medicine, Sociology of Aging and Sociology of Communication and Mass Media. It has developed studies on access, assessment and attitudes towards the health system in Portugal and about the behaviors and attitudes towards adherence; also studied the representations of health and the Health System in the portuguese media, as well as the access and use of health information sources. The ageing population is another area of research that has been dedicated in recent years, particularly on aspects related to health, well-being and quality of life.

Among the several works he has published, individually or in co-authorship, are the books Saúde e Doença em Portugal - Inquérito aos Comportamentos e Atitudes da População Portuguesa Perante o Sistema Nacional de Saúde [Health and Illness in Portugal - Behaviour and Attitudes of the Portuguese Population Towards the National Health System] (ICS, 2002); O Estado da Saúde em Portugal: Acesso, Avaliação e Atitudes da População Portuguesa em Relação ao Sistema de Saúde - Evolução entre 2001-2007 e Comparações Regionais [The State of Health in Portugal: Access, Evaluation and Attitudes of the Portuguese Population Towards the Health System - Evolution between 2001-2007 and Regional Comparisons] (ICS, 2009); A Adesão à Terapêutica em Portugal: Atitudes e Comportamentos da População Portuguesa Perante as Prescrições Médicas [Adherence to Therapy in Portugal: Attitudes and Behaviors of the Portuguese Population Towards the Medical Prescriptions] (ICS, 2010); A Saúde nos Media – Representações do Sistema de Saúde e das Políticas Públicas na Imprensa Escrita Portuguesa [Health in the Media - Representations of the Health System and Public Policies in the Portuguese Press] (Mundos Sociais, 2011); Processos de Envelhecimento em Portugal - Usos do Tempo, Redes Sociais e Condições de Vida (FFMS, 2013) [Processes of Ageing in Portugal: Uses of Time, Social Networks and Living Conditions]; Ciências Sociais: Profissão e Vocação – Homenagem a Manuel Villaverde Cabral (ICS, 2013) [Social Sciences: Profession and Vocation - Tribute to Manuel Villaverde Cabral]; Envelhecimento em Lisboa, Portugal e Europa: Uma Perspectiva Comparada [Ageing in Lisbon, Portugal and Europe: a Comparative Perspective] (ICS, 2016).