BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES - Universitatea de Medicină şi Farmacie

the community. Nowadays Health communication is an important aria of
medical activity (theory and practice) which may be defined as “The art
and technique of informing, influencing, and motivating individual,
institutional, and public audiences about important health issues. Or it can
be define as an area of theory, research and practice related to
understanding and influencing the interdependence of communication
(symbolic interaction in the forms of messages and meanings) and health
related beliefs, behaviors and outcomes. Accordingly to this aria an
efficient communication is essential to successful public health practice at
every level of the ecological model; intrapersonal, interpersonal, group,
organizational, and societal. At each level there are a variety of
communication channels which must be considered, from face-to-face to
mass communications. The social contexts in which health communication
occurs are also widely varied and can include (but are not limited to)
homes, schools, doctor’s offices, and workplaces. Wherever, good
communication is associated with positive health outcomes, whereas poor
communication is associated with a number of negative outcomes. In
what is follow we will focus on three levels of heath communication: 1.
interpersonal medical communication emphasizing especially the
importance of communication between doctor and patient; 2.
Organizational level, emphasizing the importance of communication in
medical team; and 3. Societal level emphasizing the importance of
communication in public health.
The importance of communication in physician – patient
relationship
Good communication skills are essential to establish good doctor patient
relationship, which in turn has a positive impact on medical outcomes.
Good communication engenders meaningful and trusting
relationships between healthcare professionals and their patients. Studies
suggest that physician sensitivity - specifically a doctor's interest in people
- results in greater patient confidence and increased adherence to treatment
regimens. We have much more confidence in our doctor if he or she can
communicate with us and seems sensitive to our needs. Good
communication skills are integral to medical and other healthcare practice.
In delivering care, doctors encounter a diverse range of patients
requiring different communication approaches - from the very young to
the elderly. Various patient subgroups may present particular difficulties in
terms of communication. For example, doctors may find it more difficult
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