| Popis: |
The culmination of the changes in health care, motivated in many ways by the rapid evolution of information and communication technologies in parallel with the shift toward increased patient decision making and empowerment, has critical implications for clinical research, from recruitment and participation to, ultimately, successful outcomes. For those who are incapable (or unwilling) to develop the requisite health literacy skills, there is also a tendency to turn to intermediaries for advice. This chapter explores these developments from various perspectives and looks at some foundational issues in health communication as related to health consumerism. The overarching concern is the information environment within which health consumers are immersed and some of the underlying communication issues and emerging technologies contributing to the changing nature of patients’ information world. Not surprisingly, we will see that core findings from communication and behavior research have relevance for our current understanding and future studies of the evolving role of the consumer. |
