Health communication is key to promoting good population and individual health outcomes. As the field has developed, there is a growing need for a critical appraisal of the ideologies and theories underpinning health communication in order to ensure effective practice. This book clearly situates health communication within its social context. It provides a critical overview of three key disciplinary areas education, psychology and communication. Drawing on international examples throughout, the book challenges the underlying assumptions that drive the design and delivery of health promotion interventions. The authors argue that health communication is inherently political and pay close attention to issues of power, ethics and inequality throughout the text.This book will be valuable for those students at all levels who require a critical perspective, as well as practitioners in health communication and health promotion. With reference to detailed examples and annotated suggestions for further reading, the book is an accessible resource for analysing contemporary health communication.

Detailed table of contentsAcknowledgementsPart 1: Theoretical PerspectivesChapter 1: Introduction to Health Communication: Theoretical and Critical PerspectivesChapter 2: Communication TheoryChapter 3: Educational TheoryPart 2: Key TopicsChapter 4: Psychological TheoryChapter 5: Methods and MediaChapter 6: Social MarketingChapter 7: Health LiteracyPart 3: Issues and ChallengesChapter 8: Challenges in Health Communication and Behaviour ChangeChapter 9: The Politics of Health Communication and Behaviour ChangeChapter 10: Looking to the FutureReferencesIndex