Health communication encompasses the study and use of communication strategies to inform and influence individual and community decisions that enhance health. Health communication can contribute to all aspects of disease prevention and health promotion and is relevant in a number of contexts.

For individuals, effective health communication can help raise awareness of health risks and solutions, provide the motivation and skills needed to reduce these risks, help them find support from other people in similar situations, and affect or reinforce attitudes. Health communication also can increase demand for appropriate health services and decrease demand for inappropriate health services.It can make available information to assist in making complex choices, such as selecting health plans, care providers, and treatments.

For more information, please visit http://www.healthypeople.gov