Communicating health. Medical outreach efforts in the media

Abstract

Good communication is fundamental in the promotion and maintenance of individual and collective health. Despite the vast amount of information we can currently access, misconceptions still persist in fundamental topics such as vaccination or the prevention and treatment of certain serious or chronic diseases such as cancer or AIDS. People have to make decisions concerning their health, and must be informed rigorously and sincerely to that end. However, this task is not simple. It is essential to understand how the different communicative processes work and reflect on the role of the media in this field.