Health communication research

Explore new behaviour change communication research and use the learnings to write more effective health content.

Explore new child health communication research and use the learnings to write more effective health content.

Browse the latest heart disease communication research, and discover how to communicate more effectively to inspire behaviour change.

Explore new alcohol communication research and use the learnings to write clearer health content.

Learn about new breastfeeding communication strategies and research, and discover how to communicate more effectively for better results.

Read about new research into cancer communication and discover how to make your writing and content creation more effective.

Explore the latest scientific evidence for smoking prevention strategies, tobacco control and health communication research.

We already know that adults around the world are prolific internet users. But what about teens and young people – do they have the same internet behaviours as adults?

If you write online health content for the general public, should you consider upskilling in a bit of humour?

We know that people turn to user-generated content on social media to research their health concerns, but how influential is this health information?

And, more importantly, how does this type of influence impact the health content we create?

While there are many evidence-based writing techniques we can use to engage readers to try and get their full, undivided attention, controlling how our readers react to bad news is just as important as engagement. So, if you’re working on a project that requires you to deliver bad news, what’s the most appropriate communication strategy?

Fear mongering and scare tactics are used in public health campaigns to drive behavioural changes. We see fear in headlines for online articles, food label warnings, pamphlets and brochures. But how effective are these fear-based messages?

A US research team aimed to determine the natural indicators of uncertain language and understand how these indicators predict decisional conflict.

Health buzzwords like ‘protein’, ‘paleo’ and ‘organic’ are used by marketers as key selling points for many of today’s health products. Yet these words can also trick consumers into believing a product is healthier than it really is.

As health writers, we focus a lot of our energy on knowledge. We write ‘how to’ articles about eating better, exercising more, breaking bad habits, making healthy choices and reducing risk factors. We offer knowledge – but, we rarely sell the desire to change.