Health Communication Resources

On this page:

• Associations and Coalitions
• Government Agencies and Health Communication
• Health Communication Journals and Resources
• “How-To” Tools and Publications

Associations and Coalitions

American Public Health Association Health Communication Working Group*
The Health Communication Working Group (HCWG) was formed in 1998 for a distinct identity for health communication within public health. The mission of the HCWG is to create a forum for interaction and information exchange to encourage innovative, effective, theory based, research based, and consumer-oriented health communication strategies that are integrated in public health practice. The HCWG holds sessions at the American Public Health Association’s yearly conference and also coordinates a listserv and Web site.

International Communication Association*
The International Communication Association (ICA) was formed in 1950, bringing together academicians and other professionals whose interest focused on human communication. ICA’s Health Communication Division encourages theory development, research, and effective practice of health communication. In addition to coordinating sessions at the ICA annual conference, the ICA Health Communication Division also publishes a newsletter.

National Communication Association*
The National Communication Association (NCA) is a nonprofit organization of educators, practitioners, and students who work and reside in every state and more than 20 foreign countries. The purpose of the Association is to promote study, criticism, research, teaching, and application of the artistic, humanistic, and scientific principles of communication. The NCA Health Communication Division provides a forum for members who share this subject as an interest. The Health Communication Division also handles programming on this topic area at the NCA annual conference and provides other opportunities for networking and advancing the field of health communication.

Kentucky Conference on Health Communication*
Traditional health communication areas such as patient-provider communication, public communication campaigns, information seeking, interactive health communication and informatics have been informed by several social and behavioral science disciplines beyond communication. This conference is meant to stimulate discussion of the implications such associations have for the future of health communication within and beyond the communication discipline. The next conference will be held April 15–17, 2004 in Lexington, Kentucky.

Government Agencies and Health Communication

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Office of Communication
The CDC Office of Communication along with communication directors and staff throughout CDC provide expert consultation and research on a variety of communication issues. Some active practice areas in health communication at CDC today include research and evaluation, social marketing, audience research, language and culture, and online health and Internet evaluation.

National Cancer Institute Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch
The primary goals for NCI’s Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch are to encourage programmatic and interdisciplinary approaches to cancer communications research, accelerate development of innovative health communication models, theories, and research strategies in cancer prevention, control, and care, and promote educational and training opportunities for communication and health information scientists, educators, and practitioners. This site provides information about communication-related funding opportunities, cancer control research, risk communication, and health message tailoring, among other topics.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion works to strengthen the disease prevention and health promotion priorities of the Department within the collaborative framework of the Health and Human Services agencies. This Web site features announcements, links to selected projects, and publications.

Health Communication Journals and Resources

Health Communication
As an outlet for scholarly intercourse between medical and social sciences, this journal seeks to improve practical communication between caregivers and patients and between institutions and the public. Topics covered include provider-patient (or family) interaction, communication and cooperation, health information, health promotion, interviewing, and public relations.

Healthy People 2010 Health Communication Objectives
This online document describes the Healthy People 2010 objectives that deal specifically with health communication as a goal. It also discusses issues and trends surrounding communication about health, disparities, and opportunities.

Journal of Health Communication*
The Journal of Health Communication is a scholarly, peer-reviewed journal, published bimonthly. It presents developments in the field of health communication including research in risk communication, health literacy, social marketing, communication (from interpersonal to mass media), psychology, government, policymaking, and health education.

"How-To" Tools and Publications

CDCynergy: A Health Communication Planning Tool
CDCynergy, an interactive CD-ROM, is a training and decision-support tool designed to help CDC staff and public health professionals systematically plan communication programs within a health context.

HealthComm KEY*
HealthComm KEY is a database of health communication literature, focusing on communication research and practice in the context of public health. HealthComm KEY contains comprehensive summaries of more than 200 articles. The articles selected for the database focus on public health interventions that have communication as a major component.

Making Health Communication Programs Work: A Planner’s Guide
Produced by the National Cancer Institute, Making Health Communication Programs Work uses a practical approach to guiding readers through four stages in the health communication process: 1) planning and strategy development, 2) developing and pretesting concepts, messages, and materials, 3) implementing the program, and 4) assessing effectiveness and making refinements. The book is available in print, online, and CD-ROM formats.

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* Links to non-Federal organizations found at this site are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at these links.

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