LibGuides: ACRL/EBSS Library Resources for Communication Studies (LRCS): Health Communication

About

This guide presents a selection of resources for librarians and researchers who are interested in health communication research. The field of health communication focuses on the creation, dissemination, and evaluation of health-related information. It is an interdisciplinary field that draws from research in medicine, public health, psychology, sociology, journalism, communication, and mass communication.

Current Page Editor: K yung Kim

Suggested Subject Keywords

The following is a short list of Library of Congress subject headings that will be helpful when performing a subject search on health communication.

Please consult the Library of Congress subject headings for more ideas.

Research Databases

See General Communication Databases to get started

Best Bets:

CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health) (fee-based) Updated monthly, the Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health (CINAHL) database provides authoritative coverage of the literature related to nursing and allied health disciplines.
MEDLINE and PubMed Updated daily, MEDLINE is the U.S. National Library of Medicine's (NLM's) premier bibliographic database of biomedical and allied health literature. PubMed, which includes Medline, is free online, but many librarians search Medline from existing vendor platforms

Additional Useful Databases

Alcohol Studies Database This database produced by the Rutgers University Center of Alcohol Studies Alcohol Studies contains citations for over 80,000 journal articles, books, dissertations, conference papers, and audio-visual materials from 1987 to the present.
Alt HealthWatch (fee-based) Provides in-depth coverage across the full spectrum of subject areas covered by holistic and alternative medicine, from over 190 international and often peer-reviewed journals. Available from EBSCO.
APA PsycARTICLES (fee-based) From the American Psychological Association (APA), this is a source of full-text, scholarly articles in psychology. PsycARTICLES contains over 199,500 full-text articles from more than 110 journals published by the APA. Available through the APA's "APA PsycNET" platform, as well as EBSCO, Ovid, and ProQuest.
APA PsycBOOKS (fee-based) From the American Psychological Association (APA), this database contains over 65,900 chapters from more than 4,300 books. Available through the APA's "APA PsycNET" platform, as well from EBSCO, Ovid, and ProQuest.
ASSIA: Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (fee-based) Updated monthly, ASSIA Covers health, social services, psychology, sociology, economics, politics, race relations and education. ASSIA contains records from over 500 journals published in 19 different countries.
BioMed Central An open access publisher, BioMed Central provides access to research articles in public health and other science, technology, and medicine fields.
CDC Wonder This database includes statistical research data, reference materials, reports and guidelines on health-related topics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Cochrane Library (fee-based) A collection of databases containing evidence-based information to be used in clinical treatment decisions. Available from Wiley.
Database of Promoting Health Effectiveness Reviews (DoPHER) A database of the Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre (EPPI-Centre) in London, England, DoPHER focuses on systematic and non-systematic reviews of effectiveness in health promotion and public health worldwide. Contains details of over 3,700 reviews.
Embase A comprehensive biomedical research database including all journals in MEDLINE plus 2,900 more, and covers 11,500+ conferences not found in MEDLINE
Global Health (fee-based) An international, public health database that contains over 2.8* million scientific records from 1973 to the present. Around 190,000 records are added each year, and over 96% of these records include an English abstract.
Health and Pyschological Instruments (HaPI) (fee-based) Contains a wide range of records providing comprehensive, accurate information about measurement tools and instruments across diverse disciplines and professions.
Health Source: Consumer Edition (fee-based) Consumer health information from 300 consumer health full-text periodicals, dating as far back as 1985
Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition (fee-based) Provides researchers, allied health professionals, nurses and medical educators with access to full-text scholarly journals focusing on many medical disciplines. It provides indexing, abstracts and full-text for hundreds of nursing and allied health journals, many of which are peer-reviewed. Available from EBSCO.
HSRProj (Health Services Research Projects) in Progress From AcademyHealth. Contains descriptions of more than 13,000 ongoing and recently completed health services research projects funded by government and state agencies, foundations, universities, private organizations, and international organizations.
MCH Digital Library Part of the National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health (NCEMCH), at Georgetown University this database provides access to maternal and child health research and information. Freely available online.
Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection (fee-based) Contains over 530 indexed and abstracted serials concerning topics in emotional and behavioral characteristics, psychiatry & psychology, mental processes, anthropology, and observational & experimental methods. Available from EBSCO.
Public Library of Science (PLoS) The Public Library of Science provides free access to open access journals in the fields of life science and medicine.

Encyclopedias, Handbooks, and Dictionaries

Freely available online reference works:

A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia (online) Includes over 4,000 articles about diseases, tests, symptoms, injuries, and surgeries. It also contains an extensive library of medical photographs and illustrations.
Effective Media Communication During Public Health Emergencies: WHO Handbook and Field Guide From the publisher: "This handbook presents an integrated, principle-based approach to media communication for those dealing with public health emergencies. Topics covered include how journalists gather and process information about public health emergencies, steps for planning and implementing an effective media communication programme, identifying and reaching target audiences, media interviews, avoiding traps and pitfalls, and preparing key messages."
Making Health Communication Programs Work By the National Cancer Institute (2002). A guide to communication program planning that includes strategy development, testing concepts and materials, implementing programs, and more.

Many of these print format reference materials are also available online. Contact the respective publishers for further information.

Dictionary of Epidemiology by Miquel Porta; Sander Greenland; Miguel Hernán; et. al. From the publisher: "This sixth edition of A Dictionary of Epidemiology -- the most updated since its inception - reflects the profound substantive and methodological changes that have come to characterize epidemiology and its associated disciplines. Sponsored by the International Epidemiological Association, this book remains the essential reference for anyone studying or working in epidemiology, biostatistics, public health, medicine, or the growing number health sciences in which epidemiologic competency is now required. More than just a dictionary, this text is an essential guidebook to the state of the science. It offers the most current, authoritative definitions of terms central to biomedical and public health literature - everything from confounding and incidence rate to epigenetic inheritance and Number Needed to Treat. As epidemiology continues to change and grow, A Dictionary of Epidemiology will remain its book of record."
Publication Date: 2014
Encyclopedia of Health Communication by Teresa L. Thompson (Editor) From the publisher: "From the dynamics of interpersonal communication between health professionals and clients to global command-and-control during public health emergencies that cross international borders, the field of health communication bridges many disciplines and involves efforts from the micro to the macro. It involves navigating personal, cultural, and political complexities and an ability to distill complex technical science into quickly and easily understood terms for ready distribution by the mass media--or to an individual patient or to the parent of an ailing child.  Despite an abundance of textbooks, specialized monographs, and academic handbooks, this is the first encyclopedic reference work in this area, covering the breadth of theory and research on health communication, as well as their practical application. Features: Nearly 600 original articles are organized A-to-Z within a three-volume set to provide comprehensive coverage of this exciting field, including such topics as theories and research traditions; evaluation and assessment; cultural complexities; high risk and special populations; message design and campaigns; provider/patient interaction issues; media issues; and more. All articles were specifically commissioned for this work, signed and authored by key figures in the field, and conclude with cross reference links and suggestions for further reading. Appendices include a Resource Guide with annotated lists of classic books and articles, journals, associations, and web sites; a Glossary of specialized terms; and a Chronology offering an overview and history of the field. A thematic Reader's Guide groups related articles by broad topic areas as one handy search feature on the e-Reference platform, which also includes a comprehensive index of search terms. This A-to-Z three-volume reference is available in both print and online formats and is a must-have for libraries and researchers who seek comprehensive coverage of the theory, research, and applications of health communication."
Publication Date: 2014
Handbook of Global Health Communication by Rafael Obregon and Silvio Waisbord (Editors) From the publisher: "International in scope, The Handbook of Global Health Communication offers a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of the role of communication processes in global public health, development and social change. Brings together 32 contributions from well-respected scholars and practitioners in the field, addressing a wide range of communication approaches in current global health programs."
Publication Date: 2012
The Routledge Handbook of Health Communication by Teresa L. Thompson (Editor); Roxanne Parrott (Editor); Jon F. Nussbaum (Editor) The Routledge Handbook of Health Communication brings together the current body of scholarly work in health communication. With its expansive scope, it offers an introduction for those new to this area, summarizes work for those already learned in the area, and suggests avenues for future research on the relationships between communicative processes and health/health care delivery. This second edition of the Handbook has been organized to reflect the goals of health communication: understanding to make informed decisions and to promote formal and informal systems of care linked to health and well-being. It emphasizes work in such areas as barriers to disclosure in family conversations and medical interactions, access to popular media and advertising, and individual searches online for information and support to guide decisions and behaviors with health consequences. This edition also adds an overview of methods used in health communication and the unique challenges facing health communication researchers applying traditional methods to efforts to gain reliable and valid evidence about the role of communication for health. It introduces the promise of translational research being conducted by health communication researchers from multiple disciplines to form transdisciplinary theories and teams to increase the well-being of not only humans but the systems of care within their nations. Arguably the most comprehensive scholarly resource available for study in this area, the Routledge Handbook of Health Communication serves an invaluable role and reference for students, researchers, and scholars doing work in health communication.
Publication Date: 2011
Health Communication by Gary L. Kreps (Editor) From the publisher: "Health Communication brings together and organizes for the first time the seminal written works concerning health communication from a number of disciplines and scholarly outlets."
Publication Date: 2010
International Encyclopedia of Public Health by Stella R. Quah (Editor) From the publisher: "International Encyclopedia of Public Health, Second Edition is an authoritative and comprehensive guide to the major issues, challenges, methods, and approaches of global public health. Taking a multidisciplinary approach, this new edition combines complementary scientific fields of inquiry, linking biomedical research with the social and life sciences to address the three major themes of public health research, disease, health processes, and disciplines."
Publication Date: 2017
The Medical Library Association's Master Guide to Authoritative Information Resources in the Health Sciences by Esther Carrigan From the publisher: "In a field where resources must be accurate, dependable, and up to date to be useful, the task of developing or maintaining a collection can be stressful--and expensive. The Medical Library Association's Master Guide to Authoritative Information Resources in Health Science will make the process infinitely easier and more efficient."
Publication Date: 2013
Oxford Handbook of Public Health Practice 4e by Ichiro Kawachi (Editor); Iain Lang (Editor); Walter Ricciardi (Editor) Fully revised and updated for the fourth edition, the award-winning Oxford Handbook of Public Health Practice remains the first resort for practitioners in the field. Structured into practical sections addressed towards professional competencies and translating evidence into policy, this Handbook provides concise summaries and covers real issues from across the globe, providing a world of experience at your fingertips. Easy-to-use, concise, and practical, this Handbook is divided into seven parts that focus on the vital areas of this broad discipline. Reflecting recent advances, the most promising developments in the practice of public health are presented, along with essential summaries of the core disciplines. Specific sections are devoted to the development of professional competencies including negotiation, communicating risk to the public, community action, and translating evidence into policy. Written by an international team of experts, and considering both social and scientific advances since the previous edition, this Handbook will assist students, trainees and practitioners around the world with its enriched information on the management of disasters, epidemics, health behaviour, acute and chronic disease prevention, community and government action, environmental heath, vulnerable populations, and more.
Publication Date: 2020

Key Journals and Trade Publications

American Journal of Preventive Medicine This is the official journal of the American College of Preventive Medicine and the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research and contains research articles focusing on disease prevention and the promotion of individual and community health.
American Journal of Public Health The American Journal of Public Health publishes original research and program evaluation in the field of public health.
Health Communication This journal presents health communication research from the social science and the medical perspective. Topics covered include provider-patient interaction, health campaigns, health information, health promotion, interviewing, and health-related public relations.
Health Communication Science Digest Published by CDC. "A monthly offering of selected journal articles, which feature emerging health communication and marketing science. The Digest provides easy access to recently published articles and reports with particular relevance for the public health communication community". From the CDC website
Health Education & Behavior This journal explores health education and interventions as they relate to social and behavioral changes
Journal of Communication in Healthcare: Strategies, Media and Engagement in Global Health Publishes innovative research, theories, interventions, and perspectives on contemporary issues in all areas of health communication and across the fields of healthcare, public health, global health and medicine
Journal of Health Communication Presents health communication research from the United States and the world including research in social marketing, media, interpersonal communication, psychology, government, and health education.

Health Communication Campaign Tools

The Annenberg National Health Communication Survey (ANHCS) The Annenberg National Health Communication Survey (ANHCS) is designed to capture national trends relating health behavior and behavioral intentions to media exposure, health knowledge and beliefs, and policy preferences and beliefs. It is the only survey that is continuously in the field with a nationally representative sample, and it is presently one of few surveys emphasizing health communication and its possible outcomes. Since its inception in January 2005, ANHCS has collected data monthly from a nationally representative sample of adults in the United States. This data has been archived and will be made publicly available each year through this website.
Communication Initiative Network: From About the Communication Initiative: “The Communication Initiative (The CI) network is an online space for sharing the experiences of, and building bridges between, the people and organisations engaged in or supporting communication as a fundamental strategy for economic and social development and change.” Accessed 11/22/08; http://www.comminit.com/en/about-global.html
Gateway to Health Communication & Social Marketing Practice This website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Marketing provides background information and tools for conducting health information campaigns.
Healthy People 2030 > Evidence Based Resources From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Browse the resources on Health Conditions, Health Behaviors, Populations, Settings and Systems, and Social Determinants of Health

Associations and Organizations

American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) AMWA is an organization of over 5,600 medical communicators that was founded in 1940.
American Public Health Association (APHA) Health Communication Working Group (HCWG) APHA began in 1872 and it is the oldest organization of public health professionals in the world. APHA’s Public Health Promotion section and Health Education (PHEHP) section came together in the late 1990s to create this working group focused on best practices for using communication and marketing to improve public health.
Health Communication Division of the National Communication Association (NCA) NCA is an organization for educators, practitioners and students whose purpose is to promote study, criticism, research, teaching of the principles of communication. NCA is the oldest and largest national organization to promote communication scholarship and education. This division of NCA looks to advance the theory, research, teaching, and application of human and mediated communication in the areas of health care and health promotion.
Health Communication Division of the International Communication Association (ICA) This division of the ICA is focused on the application of communication theory to health practice,

Research Centers

Center for Communication Programs – Johns Hopkins Through partnerships with worldwide health organizations, this institute conducts research and designs and implements health communication programs in areas such as disease and reproductive health.
Center for Health Communication Research – University of Michigan Founded in 1985, the Center for Health Communication Research focuses on creating a theory-driven model for generating tailored health behavior interventions that can be applied across health behaviors and populations.
Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children's Hospital Formerly known as the Center on Media and Child Health
Health Communication Research Center – Missouri School of Journalism Established in 2003, the Health Communication Research Center fosters interdisciplinary health communication research and focuses on bridging the gap between the health care community and the media.
Health Communication Research Laboratory – Washington University at St. Louis The Health Communication Research Laboratory conducts experimental and field research in a variety of health fields including cancer and smoking cessation. The laboratory also collaborates with non-research institutions to deploy health-related programming.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation This foundation supports and conducts health research and evaluation.