Instructor: Dr. Chuck Grant Office: 109 McClung Tower

Office Hours: 10 - 11 a.m. MWF Phone: 974 - 7074

3:30 - 4:30 MW Email: chgrant@utk.edu

(or by appointment)

Course Description:

This course surveys three major topics in health communication: (1) Patient-Provider Interaction, (2) Interprofessional and Support Group Communication, and (3) Mass Communication and Public Health. A variety of speech communication functions crucial to the delivery of health care services to health care clientele will be examined under these topics. Subtopics in these areas include the role of speech communication in (a) the flow of information in the health care process, (b) the development and maintenance of effective health care relationships, (c) the influence process between health care providers and patients, (d) interprofessional influence and conflict management between interdependent health care providers, (e) emotional support and emotion management, and (f) the dissemination of information and use of media strategies to promote public health.

The overall goal of this course is to develop an understanding of how speech communication functions to facilitate or inhibit the delivery of health care in a variety of contexts. The specific goals are:

Readings:

Readings on library reserve.

Assignments and Exams:

Exams: Two essay exams will be given during the semester to assess competencies in each of the major topic areas. Given the wealth of information you will be exposed to and the objectives of the course, these two exams will not test your ability to memorize concepts, but rather test your abilities to apply concepts. Thus, essay questions will be both applied and comprehensive. For instance, students might be asked to suggest a training program for patients on how to communicate more effectively with their health care providers. Another possibility is to have students suggest improvements for a particular health campaign by applying a theoretical viewpoint discussed in class. Students might also be asked to apply the course material to a particular case study read in this course.

Term Project: Students will participate in an instructor directed field research project that will give students first hand experience in how speech communication functions in the medical setting and how research is conducted in this context. The project may involve interviewing patients and/or health care providers to address one or several speech communication functions. For instance, students may interview patients regarding how they communicate with their physician when they disagree or do not understand their physician's advice. Student also may participate in a field project which involves recruiting patients to participate in a health communication study followed by indepth interviews with patients regarding the speech communication phenomenon being studied; or, students may choose to become a participant/observer in an accessible health context such as a support group meeting for patients or hospital/clinic waiting rooms; or, students may choose to focus on a particular phenomenon related to health and collect media texts which relate to that issue. Students will turn in a set of field notes detailing their experiences in the field. Students will also hand in copies of their interviews and/or other data (e.g., surveys) collected for the project. Evaluation will be based on the quality of students' field notes, as well as the application of health communication concepts discussed in class. Each student will give a seven to ten minute presentation of her or his research project to the class. The presentation should include appropriate visual aids (e.g., handouts, overhead projection transparencies).

A written proposal for the Term Project must be approved by the instructor no later than October 14th.

Class Report: Each week, two or more students will present a recent (within past two years) health communication research article related to the week's topic. On the day of their presentation, students will turn in a copy of the article, a typed outline of their presentation, and a 2 to 3 page (typed, double-spaced) paper that summarizes the article, applies the article to the course material, and critiques the significance of the article.

Class Participation: A final class participation grade will be given based on class attendance, evidence of reading the material, and contributions to class discussion.

Grading and Due Dates:

Assignments Points Due Date

(100 points for the project and 25 points for the presentation)

Class Discussion 50

Course Schedule and Assigned Readings

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Text = Kreps & Thornton's Health Communication: Theory & Practice

Case = Thornton & Kreps's Perspectives on Health Communication

Readings = Readings on Reserve in Library

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Reserve readings

Week 3 Health Communication Processes

and Theories Ch. 2, Text & Case

Reserve readings

Context Ch. 3, Text & Case

"The Doctor"

Week 5 Interpersonal continued Reserve readings

Reserve readings

Week 7 Group continued Reserve readings

Week 8 ****MIDTERM EXAM****

Week 9 Organizational Communication in

Health Care Ch. 5, Text & Case

Reserve readings

Week 10 Health Communication Messages

and Media Ch. 6, Text & Case

Reserve readings

Week 11 Culture and Health Communication Ch. 7, Text & Case

Reserve readings

Week 12 Ethical Communication in Health Care Ch. 8, Text & Case

Reserve readings

Week 13 Communication and Health Promotion Ch. 9, Text & Case

Reserve readings

Week 14 Research Presentations

Week 15 Research Presentations/Review

December 16th ****Final Exam (2:45 - 4:45 p.m.)****