BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES - Universitatea de Medicină şi Farmacie

The efficiency in accomplishment of these tasks is directly related
to efficient communication, but there are some public health arias where
good communication is of special importance.
First one is communication for health education directed to learning
experiences and the voluntary actions people can take, individually or
collectively, for their own health, the health of others, or the common good
of the community. Health education is a systematically planned activity,
and can thus be distinguished from incidental learning experiences.
Further, this construction of health education draws attention to voluntary
behavioral actions taken by an individual, group, or community with the
full understanding and acceptance of the purposes of the action—either to
achieve an intended health effect or to build capacity for health.
The second aria is communication for health behavior change.
Nowadays there are a lot of people that practice behavior with high health
risk, like smoking, drug abuse, alcohol consuming etc. the individuals with
such types of behavior will be more likely to change their health-related
behavior if they recognize a health risk or condition as important, if they
view themselves as susceptible to the risk or condition and if they regard
the benefits of change as outweighing barriers to making change.
Communication strategies play a key role in influencing these perceptions.
The third aria is communication in condition of health emergency.
Health emergencies include:
significant communicable disease outbreaks, e.g. an influenza pandemic;
chemical, biological or radiological incidents either criminal or accidental;
mass casualty incidents, e.g. an earthquake or transport accident; any
emergency where there are a significant number of people needing
medical treatment which requires a coordinated national approach. In all
this conditions the risk for community, damages, and panic will be low
down as a result of good (well planed) communication.
► Exercises and Discussions:
1.What is communication?
2.How is communication? Give some attributes of communication.
3.What are the elements of communication as a process?
4.Describe the functions of communication.
5.Identify your own reasons for communication.
6.What is health communication?
7.What are the benefits of efficient communication in physician and
patient, and in medical team?
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