Question: The purpose of this assignment is to provide students the ability to synthesize and analyze communication about health. The topic of your paper is open to you. You must decide what aspect of health communication that we have covered this semester (or will cover) is interesting to you or what health issue is personally important to you. The paper is to combine course materials and concepts and apply them to communication about a specific health topic.
Paper Sections:
Introduction: Introduce the paper and what the paper will cover.
Part 1: Background and significance of the health issue(s)
One part of health communication is the "health" being communicated. Therefore, students should be able to briefly explain the health issue(s) in the paper [what it is, how it is diagnosed, cures (if any)]. When writing about the background and significance of the health issue, include peer-reviewed (academic) sources. Remember, health issues are often studied for their causes/symptoms/cures/treatments and research is published in scientific/medical/health communication journals to explain the health issue. Additional sources such as newspapers, websites, and magazines can be used.
Part 2: Evaluate Communication about a Health Topic: The project will be based on an analysis of communication of a health topic, and critically analyze how this topic is communicated in society. This can be at the individual, family, or community level. Analysis will integrate course content into describing the communication, any possible benefits or disadvantages the way the health topic is being communicated to a particular audience, and implications this communication has to greater societal health. Your goal will be to analyze course concepts apply to this health issue. For example, the role of provider-patient communication, culture, politics, health literacy, health message design, health campaigns, social networks, available health information, etc. - have they influenced how this health issue is being communicated to (or within) a particular audience?
Part 3: Implications and Future Directions for Health Communication
At the end of the paper students should write a reflection on the implications of their work and what this paper can then do to help guide future areas of principles and/or practice in health communication. For example, what are the limitations on communication efforts on the health issue?What parts of the health issue are being communicated well?
Conclusion: Conclude the paper and what was discussed.
References: All papers will require at least 6 citations, including peer-reviewed (academic) references. A reference page is required (APA does not have a Works Cited, but a Reference page).