Talking about Health

Roxanne Parrott is Distinguished Professor at Pennsylvania State University, holding joint appointments in the Communication Arts & Sciences and the Health Policy & Administration departments. She is also a faculty member in the College of Medicine, for the Homeland Security Program.

• Preface. 1. Why Communicating about Health Matters.It Answers the Question, "Who Am I?"It Answers the Question, "Who’s Responsible?"It Opens the Gate for "Resources"It Promotes (Mis)UnderstandingIt Guides Effort, Emotion, and ExcuseSumming It Up …2. How "Normal" Am I?Compared to the NumbersCompared to the StoriesWhen It Comes to Poor HealthWhen Choosing Alternative TreatmentsWhen We Don’t Want to KnowSumming It Up …3. What Are My "Risk" Factors?Our Response to Reward CuesOur Response to Punishment CuesHow We View NoveltyWhen We ProcrastinateWhat God Has to Do with ItSumming It Up …4. Why Don’t We Get "Care"?Our Doctors Didn’t Recommend ItFamily or Friends Don’t Support ItWe Use Support NetworksWe’re Managing ImpressionsWe’re too Optimistic or FatalisticSumming It Up …5. Is the "Public Good" Good for Me?When We Have to "Tell"When Our Freedoms Are LimitedWhen Safety Clashes with (E)QualityWhat Nonprofits Have to Do with ItWhy Public Health MattersSumming It Up …6. Who Profits from My Health?Pharma-, Cosme-, and Nutri-ceuticalsThe News, It Is an IndustryThe Entertainment IndustryBand-Aids, Crutches and More – Oh My!Who Benefits from Our Health Illiteracy?Summing It Up …7. What’s Politics Got to Do with It?Medical Research and DisparitiesPolitical Agenda-setting and PrioritiesReligious Agendas and PrioritiesMedical Associations and LobbyistsPatient AdvocacySumming It Up …8. An Agenda for the Twenty-first Century: Increase Informed Choice and Consent, or "If I Ran the Circus …"Make "Personalized Medicine" PersonalBe Timely in the TellingFill in the BlanksTrack Your Health Report (… and Your Credit Report, Too)Stay Out of "The Big Muddy"Summing It Up …A Final ThoughtReferences.Index.

"The book is an engaging, informative read that packages health communication issues in a unique and usable way. Personal, informative, comprehensive, and integrated." (Taylor Francis Online, 19 January 2011) "This book has the added bonus of educating people about palliative care, including how to develop an advanced directive, the way to maintain a "health report," and how to manage one's health profile. It offers multiple references for each chapter that would be helpful to readers wanting more detailed information. Additionally, it could also assist health care professionals who want to increase their communication skills." (CHOICE, December 2009)"Parrot melds her expertise in communications and health policy and administration … .Accessible and full of Parrot family anecdotes." (The Penn Stater, January 2010)"Roxanne Parrott’s thoughtful treatment of 'why communication matters' identifies challenges and opportunities in 'talking about health' during this time of increasing consumer engagement and responsibility in health and health care." (PsycCRITIQUES, November 2009)