Title Details

Kevin B. Wright is Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Oklahoma.

Lisa Sparks is Professor of Communication at Chapman University, Orange, CA. She is Editor of Communication Research Reports and serves on numerous editorial boards including Journal of Applied Communication Research and Communication Quarterly.

H. Dan O’Hair is a Presidential Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Oklahoma where he teaches organizational communication, conflict management and communicating in healthcare organizations.

Part I: Introduction:.

1. Overview of Communication and Health.

Arguments for the Need to Study Health Communication.

Defining Health Communication.

A Brief History of Health Communication Research.

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

Overview of the Book.

Summary.

Part II: Interpersonal Perspectives:.

2. Provider–Patient Communication.

Provider and Patient Views of Health and Healthcare.

Provider Perspective.

Patient Perspective.

Provider–Patient Interaction.

Improving Provider–Patient Communication.

Outcomes of Provider–Patient Communication.

Communication and Medical Malpractice Lawsuits.

Summary.

3. Caregiving and Communication.

Caregiving.

Hospice and Palliative Care.

Attitudes Towards Death and Dying.

Summary.

Part III: Social, Cultural, and Organizational Contexts:.

4. Social Support and Health.

Types and Functions of Social Support.

Models of Social Support and Health.

Perceptions of Support Providers.

Strong Tie Versus Weak Tie Support Networks.

The Role of Communication in the Social Support Process.

Support Groups for People with Health Concerns.

Communication Processes within Support Groups.

Summary.

5. Culture and Diversity Issues in Healthcare.

Patient Diversity.

Cultural Differences in Concepts of Health and Medicine.

Recognizing Cultural Diversity in Health Beliefs.

Alternative Medicine.

Spirituality, Culture, and Health.

Social Implications of Illness.

Changing Social Perceptions of Health Issues through Communication.

Provider Diversity.

Summary.

6. Communication and Healthcare Organizations.

Healthcare Organizations as Systems.

Types of Healthcare Organizations.

Communication within Healthcare Organizations.

Healthcare Organization Culture.

Influences on Healthcare Organization Communication.

Provider Stress, Conflict, and Support within Healthcare Organizations.

Summary.

Part IV: Influences of Technologies and Media:.

7. New Technologies and Health Communication.

Health Information on the Internet.

New Technologies and Patient–Patient Communication.

New Technologies and Provider–Provider Communication.

New Technologies and Provider–Patient Communication.

New Technologies and Health Campaigns.

Summary.

8. Mass Communication and Health.

Two Perspectives of Media Influence.

Needs Fulfilled by the Mass Media Concerning Health.

Media Usage, Health Portrayals, and Health Behaviors.

Health News Stories in the Media.

Summary.

Part V: Risk, Campaigns, Communities, and Teams:.

9. Risk and Crisis Communication.

Defining Risk Communication.

Global and Large-Scale Health Threats.

At-Risk Communities within the United States.

Communication Strategies for Addressing Health Risks.

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

Risk Communication Strategies at the Provider–Patient Level.

Summary.

10. Health Campaigns and Community Health Initiatives.

Campaign Goals.

Theoretical Approaches to Health Campaigns.

The Process of Conducting a Health Campaign.

Formative Campaign Evaluation.

Summary.

11. Interdisciplinary Healthcare Teams.

Diversity of Healthcare Professionals.

Importance of Interdisciplinary Teams.

Continuum of Healthcare Teams.

Model of Synergistic Healthcare Teams.

Summary.

Part VI: Contexts, Challenges, and Choices:.

12. Emerging Health Communication Contexts and Challenges.

Health Literacy.

Breaking Bad News.

Health Communication and Older Adults.

Summary.

Index

“Health Communication in the 21st Century is highly accessible and easy to understand for undergraduate readers who may be new to the field of health communication. The book is particularly appropriate for use in an introductory course in health communication. It works equally well for communication majors, students in the health care professions, and students in other major fields of study. It provides ample vivid examples and real-life cases to illustrate complex health communication theories and concepts.” (PsycCRITIQUES, March 2009)"I commend Professors Wright, Sparks, and O’Hair for crafting a salient, timely, and much needed undergraduate text. Health communication instructors and students alike will reap many benefits from perusing this vital work. Whether one aspires to become a more effective health care consumer and advocate, effectively prepare his/her students for key health care challenges, and/or inform research designs as well as community interventions, this book should be an invaluable resource."
–James Query, University of Houston

"Health Communication in the 21st Century is the much anticipated, significant scholarly text that successfully organizes and presents the broad range of recent research findings within Health Communication. The chapters on Caregiving, New Technologies, Healthcare Organizations, and Interdisciplinary Healthcare Teams move this book well beyond all competitors."
–Jon Nussbaum, Penn State University