Health communication is key to promoting good population and individual health outcomes. As the field has developed, there is a growing need for a critical appraisal of the ideologies and theories underpinning health communication in order to ensure effective practice. This book clearly situates health communication within its social context. It provides a critical overview of three key disciplinary areas education, psychology and communication. Drawing on international examples throughout, the book challenges the underlying assumptions that drive the design and delivery of health promotion interventions. The authors argue that health communication is inherently political and pay close attention to issues of power, ethics and inequality throughout the text.This book will be valuable for those students at all levels who require a critical perspective, as well as practitioners in health communication and health promotion. With reference to detailed examples and annotated suggestions for further reading, the book is an accessible resource for analysing contemporary health communication.

Ruth Cross is Senior Lecturer in Health Promotion at Leeds Beckett University
Sam Davis is Senior Lecturer in Health Promotion at Leeds Beckett University
Ivy O'Neil is former Principal Lecturer and Professional Lead for the Health Promotion team at Leeds Beckett University

Detailed table of contents

Acknowledgements

Part 1: Theoretical Perspectives

Chapter 1: Introduction to Health Communication: Theoretical and Critical Perspectives

Chapter 2: Communication Theory

Chapter 3: Educational Theory

Part 2: Key Topics

Chapter 4: Psychological Theory

Chapter 5: Methods and Media

Chapter 6: Social Marketing

Chapter 7: Health Literacy

Part 3: Issues and Challenges

Chapter 8: Challenges in Health Communication and Behaviour Change

Chapter 9: The Politics of Health Communication and Behaviour Change

Chapter 10: Looking to the Future

References

Index