This course introduces students to significant issues and concepts in health communication. With a focus on the intersection of organisational experiences and health communication, this course examines how health communication research, theory, and practices can be strategically applied in organisational settings such as family, workplace, hospitals, offline and online support groups, health care institutions, professional bodies, media industries, campaign organisations, and government public health agencies. Students will have an opportunity to explore and better understand the role of communication in health care delivery, health promotion, disease prevention, risk and crisis management, media representations of health, cultural conceptions of health and illness, social support, family caregiving, e-health, and individual management of health beliefs, health information, and health behaviours. Students will also work together to examine health communication issues related to organisational life and propose solutions to enhance health outcomes for specific audiences.

This course aims to train students to be skilled and responsible health communicators that could benefit their everyday life as well as their future career in a variety of contexts.