Health Communication and Health Information Technology

Health communication is the study and use of communication strategies to inform and influence individual and community decisions that enhance health. Health communication considers a variety of channels to deliver its targeted or tailored messages to specific segments among varied audiences, including individuals, communities, health professionals, special groups, and decision makers.

Health information technology includes digital tools and services (e.g., mobile phone apps, e-mail messaging) that can be used to enhance patients’ self-care, facilitate patient-provider communication, inform health behaviors and decisions, prevent health complications, and promote health equity.

Social marketing seeks to develop and integrate marketing concepts with other approaches to influence behaviors that benefit individuals and communities for the greater social good (International Social Marketing Association ).