This text is intended to increase understanding of the influences of mass communication of health issues and problems, explore shared responsibilities among media and public health professionals, design strategies and set priorities for influencing policy makers who deal with health issues. The discussions are centred around conflict within various public health, media and academic communities. The contributors also address the complexities of the health information to be conveyed, as well as audience responses to health content in the media. Overall, new "partnerships" among the sectors are at the centre of many of the recommendations for improving the dissemination of health messages.
Charles K. Atkin (Ph.D., University of Wisconsin; B.A., Michigan State University) is University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Communication at Michigan State, where he has served as Chair for 15 years. He teaches and conducts research on mass communication campaigns, particularly in the health domain. Based on sustained accomplishments in applied research on health campaigns, he received the 2006 Decade of Behavior Award from the American Psychological Association and a consortium of 54 social science organizations as well as the 2008 career award as "Outstanding Health Communication Scholar" from National Communication Association and the International Communication Association Health Communication Divisions. In 2010, he was selected for the Phillips Award for Distinguished Applied Communication Research by the National Communication Association. He has been a Fellow of the International Communication Association since 1999. He has published almost 100 journal articles and ten books, including Mass Communication and Public Health (1990, SAGE) and Public Communication Campaigns (1989, 2001, SAGE). His federal grant research has been extensive, with recent major projects on breast cancer and binge drinking.
Issues and Initiatives in Communicating Health Information - Charles Atkin and Elaine Bratic Atkin Mass Media and Health Promotion - Lawrence Wallack Promise, Problem and Challenge News Media Responsiveness to Public Health - Philip Meyer Roles and Responsibilities of Journalists - Stephen Klaidman Public Health and the Media - Stephen C Stuyck Unequal Partners? Controversies in Health-Related Products - William Novelli Regulatory Policies for Communicating Health Information - Bruce A Silverglade Television and Health - Nancy Signorielli Images and Impact Promoting Health Through Entertainment Television - Kathryn C Montgomery Effective Mass Communication Strategies for Health Campaigns - Brian R Flay and Dee Burton Improving Health Promotion - Lawrence Wallack Media Advocacy and Social Marketing Practices
