Hcs/320 Health Communication Research Paper
Running Head: Communication Opinion Paper
Health care Communication
Tomika McClam
HCS/320
October 21, 2013
Polly Hanson
What is health communication? “Health communication is shaped by many influences including personal goals, skills, cultural orientation, situational factors, and consideration of other people’s feelings” . Communication is used daily in many ways, and no matter what age, experience level, or background, effective communication is a skill that all can learn. Kreps and Barbara Thornton (1992) define health communication as “the way we seek, process and share health information” (p. 2).
To have effective communication whether it’s the basic elements of effective communication or basic rules of healthcare communication there needs to be a sender, receiver, message, channel and feedback for communication to take place. These are the basic elements of communication that will allow a message to be communicated, with these elements of communication present there are also …show more content…
“cultural display rules (ways of showing emotions in different cultures)”. One of the challenges we face in healthcare today is communicating with people from different cultures as well as showing sensitivity when communicating that you are aware, and do not share the same cultural expectations. “To be effective, health communicators must be concerned enough to pay close attention to people’s behavior and knowledgeable enough to recognize cultural and personal preferences that make people different” . In some cultures it is considered right for the woman to nurse an ill family members, and in others they may depend on their home remedies. Physician’s authority was considered unquestionable.
In order for a provider to encourage a reluctant consumer to communicate candidly, the provider must first realize that, “communication is crucial to the success of health care encounters”. This is the first of the six important issues in the importance of health. “Second, communication is an important source of personal confidence and coping ability. Likewise, patients cope best when they feel comfortable talking about delicate subjects like pain and death, and people in support groups often cope better and even live longer than similar persons who are not members”. The third issue is that effective communication allows the patient and the provider to save time and money. If the patient is forthcoming with their provider and has built that sense of security they can communicate and have all concerns addressed in less visits. “Fourth, communication helps health care organizations operate effectively”. This stage can help the organization see where the improvement and development of the business may be needed. “Fifth, wise use of mass media can help people learn about health and minimize the influence of unhealthy and unrealistic media portrayal”. Media consumers especially those who rely on newspapers, magazines, and computers are likely to be well informed about health issues and actively maintain their own health (Rowe &Toner, 2003; van der Pal-de Bruin et al., 2003). “Sixth, health communication may be important to you because the health industry is rich with career opportunities”.
How might cultural differences influence communication?
Different cultures perceive different messages in many ways. What may be allowed by one culture may not be permitted in another. In any conversation there may be a level of uncertainty and anxiety, but learning cultural differences and what is allowed can make for comforting conversation. Maintaining eye contact, not using hand gestures, or touch can allow room for healthy communication and for the patient to build trust. Asking questions, listening attentively to what is said and using your assessment skills while communicating can also help to ease the patient anxiety and to open up to you as their provider. “Patients are active agents who can influence the way health communication is conducted. For example, doctors are sometimes criticized for doing most of the talking in medical encounters. At the same time, however, patients are known to be particularly submissive around
doctors”. In conclusion language barriers, cultural nuances, and value divergence can easily cause unintended misunderstanding and a low efficacy in internal communication. Understanding your audience, patient, customer, and the differences that are involved in the types of healthcare communication that are needed to meet their needs can help or harm them “because results can be reached in any number of ways” but the process is started with building the trust and respect through healthcare communication.
References
Pre ', D. (2005). Communicating about health. In D. Pre ', Communicating about health (p. 5). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.
Health care Communication
Tomika McClam
HCS/320
October 21, 2013
Polly Hanson
What is health communication? “Health communication is shaped by many influences including personal goals, skills, cultural orientation, situational factors, and consideration of other people’s feelings” . Communication is used daily in many ways, and no matter what age, experience level, or background, effective communication is a skill that all can learn. Kreps and Barbara Thornton (1992) define health communication as “the way we seek, process and share health information” (p. 2).
To have effective communication whether it’s the basic elements of effective communication or basic rules of healthcare communication there needs to be a sender, receiver, message, channel and feedback for communication to take place. These are the basic elements of communication that will allow a message to be communicated, with these elements of communication present there are also …show more content…
“cultural display rules (ways of showing emotions in different cultures)”. One of the challenges we face in healthcare today is communicating with people from different cultures as well as showing sensitivity when communicating that you are aware, and do not share the same cultural expectations. “To be effective, health communicators must be concerned enough to pay close attention to people’s behavior and knowledgeable enough to recognize cultural and personal preferences that make people different” . In some cultures it is considered right for the woman to nurse an ill family members, and in others they may depend on their home remedies. Physician’s authority was considered unquestionable.
In order for a provider to encourage a reluctant consumer to communicate candidly, the provider must first realize that, “communication is crucial to the success of health care encounters”. This is the first of the six important issues in the importance of health. “Second, communication is an important source of personal confidence and coping ability. Likewise, patients cope best when they feel comfortable talking about delicate subjects like pain and death, and people in support groups often cope better and even live longer than similar persons who are not members”. The third issue is that effective communication allows the patient and the provider to save time and money. If the patient is forthcoming with their provider and has built that sense of security they can communicate and have all concerns addressed in less visits. “Fourth, communication helps health care organizations operate effectively”. This stage can help the organization see where the improvement and development of the business may be needed. “Fifth, wise use of mass media can help people learn about health and minimize the influence of unhealthy and unrealistic media portrayal”. Media consumers especially those who rely on newspapers, magazines, and computers are likely to be well informed about health issues and actively maintain their own health (Rowe &Toner, 2003; van der Pal-de Bruin et al., 2003). “Sixth, health communication may be important to you because the health industry is rich with career opportunities”.
How might cultural differences influence communication?
Different cultures perceive different messages in many ways. What may be allowed by one culture may not be permitted in another. In any conversation there may be a level of uncertainty and anxiety, but learning cultural differences and what is allowed can make for comforting conversation. Maintaining eye contact, not using hand gestures, or touch can allow room for healthy communication and for the patient to build trust. Asking questions, listening attentively to what is said and using your assessment skills while communicating can also help to ease the patient anxiety and to open up to you as their provider. “Patients are active agents who can influence the way health communication is conducted. For example, doctors are sometimes criticized for doing most of the talking in medical encounters. At the same time, however, patients are known to be particularly submissive around
doctors”. In conclusion language barriers, cultural nuances, and value divergence can easily cause unintended misunderstanding and a low efficacy in internal communication. Understanding your audience, patient, customer, and the differences that are involved in the types of healthcare communication that are needed to meet their needs can help or harm them “because results can be reached in any number of ways” but the process is started with building the trust and respect through healthcare communication.
References
Pre ', D. (2005). Communicating about health. In D. Pre ', Communicating about health (p. 5). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.