Title Details

Kevin Bradley Wright is Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication at Saint Louis University, USA. 

Lisa Sparks is Foster and Mary McGaw Endowed Professor in Behavioral Sciences at Chapman University, USA, and Full Faculty Member of the NCI-designated Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Irvine.

H. Dan O’Hair is a Presidential Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Oklahoma, USA.

PART I: INTRODUCTION 1

1 Overview of Communication and Health 3

Arguments for the Need to Study Health Communication 3

Defi ning Health Communication 5

A Brief History of Health Communication Research 6

Current Challenges to the Healthcare System and the Role of Health Communication Research 8

Overview of the Book 11

Summary 12

PART II: INTERPERSONAL PERSPECTIVES 15

2 Provider–Patient Communication 17

Provider and Patient Views of Health and Healthcare 18

Provider Perspective 18

Patient Perspective 25

Provider–Patient Interaction 30

Improving Provider–Patient Communication 33

Outcomes of Provider–Patient Communication 36

Communication and Medical Malpractice Lawsuits 38

Other Challenges of Provider–Patient Communication 39

Summary 46

3 Caregiving and Communication 55

Caregiving 56

Hospice and Palliative Care 63

Older Adult Health Concerns and Communication Issues 69

Attitudes Toward Death and Dying 77

Summary 82

PART III: SOCIAL, CULTURAL, AND ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXTS 91

4 Social Support and Health 93

History of Social Support and Health Research 94

Types and Functions of Social Support 94

Models of Social Support and Health 98

Perceptions of Support Providers 103

Strong Tie Versus Weak Tie Support Networks 105

The Role of Communication in the Social Support Process 108

Communication within Social Networks, Social Support Processes, and Health 110

Support Groups for People with Health Concerns 111

Communication Processes within Support Groups 114

Support Group Participation and Health Outcomes 116

Social Support Interventions 116

Summary 117

5 Culture and Diversity Issues in Healthcare 124

Patient Diversity and Issues with Healthcare 125

Cultural Differences in Concepts of Health and Medicine 127

Recognizing Cultural Diversity in Health Beliefs 131

Alternative Medicine 133

Spirituality, Culture, and Health 135

Social Implications of Illness 139

Changing Social Perceptions of Stigmatized Health Issues through Communication 143

Culturally Centered Health Campaigns 145

Provider Diversity 146

Summary 148

6 Communication and Healthcare Organizations 156

Healthcare Organizations as Systems 157

Types of Healthcare Organizations 161

Communication within Healthcare Organizations 163

Healthcare Organization Culture 165

Infl uences on Healthcare Organization Communication 167

Provider Stress, Confl ict, and Support within Healthcare Organizations 173

Summary 177

PART IV: INFLUENCES OF TECHNOLOGIES AND MEDIA 181

7 New Technologies and Health Communication 183

Health Information on the Internet 184

New Technologies and Patient–Patient Communication 189

New Technologies and Provider–Provider Communication 191

New Technologies and Provider–Patient Communication 196

New Technologies and Health Campaigns 201

Summary 202

8 Mass Communication and Health 208

Two Perspectives of Media Infl uence 209

Needs Fulfi lled by the Mass Media Concerning Health 210

Media Usage, Health Portrayals, and Health Behaviors 214

Health News Stories in the Media 222

Summary 226

PART V: RISK, CAMPAIGNS, COMMUNITIES, AND TEAMS 233

9 Risk and Crisis Communication 235

Defi ning Risk Communication 236

Global and Large-Scale Health Threats 240

At-Risk Communities within the United States 245

Communication Strategies for Addressing Health Risks 248

Community-Based Health Initiatives for At-Risk or Marginalized Populations 252

Risk Communication Strategies at the Provider–Patient Level 254

Summary 255

10 Health Campaigns and Community Health Initiatives 259

Campaign Goals 261

Theoretical Approaches to Health Campaigns 262

The Process of Conducting a Health Campaign 270

Formative Campaign Evaluation 279

Summary 282

11 Interdisciplinary Healthcare Teams 285

Diversity of Healthcare Professionals 285

Importance of Interdisciplinary Teams 286

Continuum of Healthcare Teams 288

Model of Synergistic Healthcare Teams 289

Summary 302

PART VI: CONTEXTS, CHALLENGES, AND CHOICES 307

12 Political Issues and Health Communication 309

Politics and Health Communication 311

Message Framing Theory and Political Communication 313

Current Political Issues Surrounding Health and Healthcare 314

Health Literacy 317

Health Stigma, Discrimination, and Politics 320

The Medical Marijuana Debate 322

The Politics of Life and Death 323

Right to Life Issues in the Media 323

The Politics of Nutrition 324

International Health Communication Issues 327

Summary 327

13 Epilogue: Looking Toward the Future of Health Communication Research 331

Emerging Trends and Challenges in Health and New Communication Technologies 331

Emerging Trends and Challenges in Communication and Mental Health Issues 332

Emerging Trends and Challenges in Intercultural Health Communication 333

Emerging Trends and Challenges in Risk/Crisis Communication 334

Ongoing Theoretical, Methodological, and Dissemination Issues Surrounding Health Communication Research 335

Summary 336

Index 337

“Provides a general overview of a wide range of topics, from the micro level of communication between health provider and patient to mid-level issues of communication within a health care organization to the macro level of community-wide health campaigns. Particularly timely are chapters on communication and cultural diversity, technology, and the Affordable Care Act ... Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and two-year technical program students; general readers.”  (Choice, 1 August 2013)