Effective Health Communication for Sustainable Development

The health communication strategies presented in this book are based on the understanding that there are many factors underpinning health. Starting from a framework of addressing health at an individual, group, and structural level, we need to realize the impact of globalization and social determinants on health. Health literacy and media literacy are necessary for health communicators and stakeholders to communicate effectively about/on health. Knowledge and skills in media technology, especially new media, new developments in the Internet and mobile devices are important. In addition, intercultural communication is essential to understand and collaborate with others. Health communication needs collaboration from all sectors in society. The health communication promoted in this book is based on a participatory model based within the multiplicity paradigm. Strategies suggested in this book are practical examples to encourage the reader to design his/her own strategies to serve a particular community. Before one can devise a strategy for health promotion and disease prevention, one needs to understand that a top-down communication approach cannot change nor sustain peoples health behaviors. On the contrary, one needs to create an enabling environment or a context that supports an individuals decision to change their behavior. How to achieve sustainability in health or health for all is ultimately what this book is about. In nine chapters, the reader is introduced to the history and discourses of health communication and sustainable development; the first part provides the reader with an in-depth overview of the many health communication theories, set in the context of globalization and localization and assessed from both anthropological and sociological perspectives. In the second part of the book, chapters systematically explain communication for/about health for sustainable development in general, as well as regarding old and new traditional and digital media in particular. The concluding chapters present the principles and applications of health communication strategies for sustainability. Sustainability in health can only be achieved once health equality is a reality.