Public Health Communication

Offering both a theoretical framework and practical approach to this increasingly important topic, Public Health Communication addresses an unmet need in the field of public health. Grounded in the author’s research and experience, and in light of an increase in the prevalence of communicable diseases and the aftermath of COVID-19, this unique title provides a scientific perspective of communication as an integral part of public health programs. The author proposes the theory of “health culture,” which bases a public health communication strategy on the culture of the target populations regarding the health issue in question, avoiding communication strategies and messages that are at best ineffective, and at worst likely to provoke resistance among the population. Presents a unique approach to public health communication that considers knowledge, representations of health and illness, perceptions of health care workers and health authorities, acquired behaviors, social norms, and historical and political contexts of a particular population. Topics include: An analysis of the role of communication in public health and its political implications A presentation of the theoretical framework of health culture and a multidisciplinary approach to public health communication A study of public health communication in the age of social media Practical advice for defining a communication strategy and translating it into plans and tools Analyzes communication during health crises and on various public health issues, such as COVID-19, the H1N1 influenza pandemic, the campaign to eradicate poliomyelitis, Ebola, vaccine controversies, cholera, exclusive breastfeeding, and care for pregnant women Shares thirteen detailed case studies, at the national and international levels, in both industrialized and developing countries An ideal resource for members of ministries of health, NGOs, and international organizations, as well as health care workers, students, and faculty in discipline