Journal of Hospital & Medical Management

Healthcare communication is the study and practice of communicating promotional health information, such as in public health campaigns, health education, and between doctor and patient. The purpose of disseminating health information is to influence personal health choices by improving health literacy. Because effective health communication must be tailored for the audience and the situation, research into health communication seeks to refine communication strategies to inform people about ways to enhance health or to avoid specific health risks. Academically, health communication is a discipline within communication studies.
Health communication may variously seek to:
• increase audience knowledge and awareness of a health issue
• influence behaviors and attitudes towards a health issue
• demonstrate healthy practices
• demonstrate the benefits of behavior changes to public health outcomes
• advocate a position on a health issue or policy
• increase demand or support for health services
• argue against misconceptions about health