Public Health Communication

Catalog description

This course examines the intended and unintended effects of health communication, with specific focus on how the mass media and the Internet stimulate change in knowledge, attitudes, behavior, and subsequent health outcomes. Three health communication foci will be explored: 1) planned communication campaigns designed specifically to elicit health behavioral change, 2) traditional mass media's role in influencing health outcomes, and 3) the evolving influence of the Internet on health outcomes. This course examines the linkages between communication effects and various health topics, including smoking/alcohol, sex, diet, and physical activity. By the end of the course, students will understand the theoretical and practical aspects of the linkage between communication and public health and be able to apply such to public health initiatives.