This class focuses on the role that communication plays in health care delivery and
in health behavior change programs.  The course objective is to understand and be
able to explain and apply theories and research in patient/provider relationships,
communication in health care organizations, media coverage of health, and health
communication campaign planning and implementation. Weekly written assignments and
examinations will allow students to apply their learning.

Introduction to health communication
History and current issues in health communication
Patient-caregiver communication
Caregiver perspective on health communication		 
Patient perspective on health communication
Diversity among patients				
Social support
Cultural conception of health and illness
Leadership and teamwork	
Ethics in health communication	 
Health images in the media
Planning health promotion campaigns
Designing and implementing health campaigns
Risk communication
E-Health

Academic honesty is – defined broadly and simply – the 
performance of all academic work without cheating, lying, 
stealing, or receiving assistance from any other person or 
using any source of information not appropriately authorized or 
attributed” (From the Preamble to “A Culture of Honesty”). The 
University, the Department of Communication Studies, and I 
personally take academic honesty very seriously. Every student 
at the University of Georgia should be familiar with the 
booklet, “A Culture of Honesty: Policies and Procedures on 
Academic Dishonesty.” If you are not, please obtain one of 
these booklets and read it carefully. This document has a 
thorough presentation of four types of academic dishonesty, 
including plagiarism, unauthorized assistance, lying/tampering, 
and theft, as well as the procedures that are in place to 
adjudicate alleged incidents of academic dishonesty. The 
policies and procedures described in “A Culture of Honesty” 
will be strictly followed. University Mandated Statement 
Concerning the University Honor Code & Academic Honesty All 
academic work must meet the standards contained in “A Culture 
of Honesty.” Students are responsible for informing themselves 
about those standards before performing any academic work. More 
detailed information about academic honesty can be found at 
http://www.uga.edu/ovpi/honesty/acadhon.htm.