Health Communication Fundamentals

2025 PROSE Award finalist in Biological and Life Sciences: Nursing & Allied Health Services!

Awarded 3rd place in the 2024 AJN Book of the Year Awards in Public and Population Health.

"The authors bring together a strong mix of theory, concepts, methods, practice, and research that come to life through multiple examples, experiences, and questions for reflections that any reader – whether seasoned or a newcomer into the public health communication field – should find extremely helpful and engaging. This book constitutes a significant contribution to the continuous fermentation and growth of the public health communication field."--Rafael Obregon, Country Representative, UNICEF Paraguay

Health Communication Fundamentals: Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation in Public Health is a comprehensive, practice-based textbook designed to equip students with the tools needed to excel in the public health communication workforce. Using a mix of domestic and global examples, the book guides readers through the entire health communication process— from planning and implementation to research, monitoring, and evaluation.

Interdisciplinary perspectives and contemporary public health topics are explored throughout the book via real-world examples, case studies, and spotlights on professionals and organizations currently working to bring about positive individual and social change. Contemporary public health topics include communication for pandemics, social justice, anti-racism, chronic disease prevention, environmental health and justice, and mental health, to name just a few. Each chapter features a podcast interview with a professional currently working in a health communication related field, to show health communication skills in action and illustrate the wide variety of careers available in this dynamic and growing sector.

Health Communication Fundamentals is an essential resource for students in a variety of health professional and communication-based programs, and will help prepare them to make unique and valuable contributions to jobs in health departments, non-profit organizations, advocacy groups, private organizations, government, academia, the media, and more.

Key Features:

• Focuses on evidence-based and theory-driven health communication practice
• Covers the entire communication campaign process – planning, implementation and evaluation of health communication initiatives that want to achieve social and behavior change
• Includes interdisciplinary perspectives and contemporary topics with a focus on health equity, social justice, and human rights
• Illustrates concepts using US and global examples, outcomes, and applications of health communication campaigns that span core public health topic areas
• Provides insight into career opportunities in health communication
• Audio podcasts highlight insights from leaders and experts with diverse careers in health communication
• Purchase includes digital access for use on most mobile devices or computers
• Qualified instructors have access to chapter PowerPoints, an Instructor’s Manual, Sample Syllabus, and Test Bank