Understanding Health Communication: Trends and Possibilities

Abstract

Health communication is a branch of communication studies that deals with the communication patterns and practices adopted in health education discourses. All forms of communicationare oriented towards promoting information related to health falls under the domain of Health Communication. In this context, the present study attempts to assess existing trends of the health communication in India with special reference to research done in rural India. It highlights views on how health communication can be more effective if it is provided with appropriate resources. It deliberates on few possibilities that can be explored to make it more effective in future, especially in the era of Information Communication and Technology. It highlights many significant ruptures in research in the contemporary scenario, especially with respect to India and argues for some highly significant and interesting study to analyze how the latest innovations in ICT have influenced the dynamics between the three stakeholders of healthcare.