"...this text...will become a reference for years to come." Health Expectations This is the first book to clearly assess the increasingly important area of communication of risk in the health sector. We are moving away from the days when paternalistic doctors managed healthcare without involving patients in decision making. With the current emphasis on patient empowerment and shared decision making, patients want and need reliable, comprehensive and understandable information about their conditions and treatment. In order to make informed decisions, the people concerned must understand the risks and benefits associated with possible treatments. But the challenge for health professionals is how best to communicate this complex medical information to diverse audiences. The book examines: Risk: defining and explaining how the term is used by different disciplines, how its meanings have changed over time and how the general public understand it Health communication and the effects on health behaviours Effective risk communication to individuals and the wider public Effectiveness of patient information leaflets, and strategies for improving oral and written health communications The cognitive and emotional issues at stake for patients in understanding risk and health information The use of new technologies in risk and health communication Ethical issues, and the future of risk communication Using examples from disciplines including psychology, sociology, health, medicine, pharmacy, statistics and business and management, this book is key reading for students who need to understand the effect of risk in health psychology as well as for health professionals interested in doctor-patient communication, informed consent and patient welfare.

This second edition explores the psychology of risk, examining how individuals think, feel and act. The questions addressed include: why do companies fail to protect against obvious hazards? What biases in risk estimation are common? How should we communicate levels of risk effectively? How should we reduce risky behaviour?

The procedure uses approaches from risk and decision analysis to identity the most relevant information; it also uses approaches from psychology and communication theory to ensure that its message is understood. This book is written in nontechnical terms, designed to make the approach feasible for anyone willing to try it. It is illustrated with successful communications, on a variety of topics."--Jacket.

Why is effective communication important in health, and what does this involve? What issues arise when communicating with particular populations, or in difficult circumstances? How can the communication skills of health professionals be improved? Effective health communication is now recognised to be a critical aspect of healthcare at both the individual and wider public level. Good communication is associated with positive health outcomes, whereas poor communication is associated with a number of negative outcomes. This book assesses current research and practice in the area and provides some practical guidance for those involved in communicating health information. It draws on material from several disciplines, including health, medicine, psychology, sociology, linguistics, pharmacy, statistics, and business and management. The book examines: The importance of effective communication in health Basic concepts and processes in communication Communication theories and models Communicating with particular groups and in difficult circumstances Ethical issues Communicating with the wider public and health promotion Communication skills training Health Communication is key reading for students and researchers who need to understand the factors that contribute to effective communication in health, as well as for health professionals who need to communicate effectively with patients and others. It provides a thorough and up to date, evidence-based overview of this important topic, examining the theoretical and practical aspects of health communication for those whose work involves communication with patients, relatives and other carers.

Designed for master’s level study, Public Health Communication: Critical Tools and Strategies will prepare new graduates for any entry level position in public health policy/advocacy, health communication, health promotion, social marketing, or community health education. Filled with practical examples, the book is also a valuable resource for those preparing for the CPH or CHES exams. Students will learn core concepts for planning a communication framework as well key strategies for educating the public about health issues including understanding and reporting science, communicating for policy and advocacy, and health literacy and numeracy. The book thoroughly explores classic theories of persuasion in communication such as Extended Parallel Process Model, Inoculation, Sensation Value, and Cognitive Value. The most current forms of digital/multimedia/interactive channels of communication are examined.

Effective risk communication is essential to the well-being of any organization and those people who depend on it. Ineffective communication can cost lives, money and reputations. Communicating Risks and Benefits: An Evidence-Based User’s Guide provides the scientific foundations for effective communications. The book authoritatively summarizes the relevant research, draws out its implications for communication design, and provides practical ways to evaluate and improve communications for any decision involving risks and benefits. Topics include the communication of quantitative information and warnings, the roles of emotion and the news media, the effects of age and literacy, and tests of how well communications meet the organization’s goals. The guide will help users in any organization, with any budget, to make the science of their communications as sound as the science that they are communicating.