Health Communication Research and Practice for a Diverse and Changing World

This thoroughly revised second edition covers the major areas of research, theory, and practical application in health communication. This textbook takes an in-depth approach to health communication by analyzing and critically evaluating research conducted across multiple paradigmatic perspectives and focusing on translational application of research findings. Using the story of the Montgomery family, a biracial, multigenerational family, and their health experiences as a case study, chapters explore topics including patient–provider communication, health communication in the media, ethical issues, and public health crises. New chapters cover the potential for communication to address discrimination in healthcare settings, health information seeking, social support and caregiving, and the relationship between health and environmental communication. Chapters offer pedagogical features that will prove useful to students and instructors of health communication, such as summary boxes, theory tables, suggestions for in-class activities, discussion questions, and lists of additional resources. Developed for use in advanced undergraduate and master’s level health communication and public health courses, this text represents the breadth and depth of health communication theory and research as it exists today. Online resources for instructors including additional theory tables, PowerPoint slides, test questions and assignments, sample syllabi, and lists of additional resources are available at https://www.routledge.com/9781032100470.

Unit I: Understanding Health Communication Foundations 1. Introduction to Health, Healthcare, and Health Communication 2. Discrimination and Health Communication Unit II: Being a Patient 3. Patient–Provider Communication 4. The Patient Experience 5. Health Information Seeking Unit III: Caring for Patients 6. Healthcare Provider Roles and Perspectives 7. Social Support and Informal Caregiving 8. End-of-Life Communication Unit IV: Health Communication Challenges 9. Mental Health and Mental Illness 10. Intercultural Health Communication 11. Ethical Issues in Health Communication Unit V: Societal Level Health Communication Concerns 12. Health Communication in the Media 13. Environmental Health Communication 14. Public Health Crises Unit VI: Looking Forward 15. Your Next Steps in Health Communication

Nancy Grant Harrington is Professor of Communication in the College of Communication and Information at the University of Kentucky, USA. Rachael A. Record is Associate Professor of Communication at San Diego State University, USA.