HEALTH COMMUNICATION-RESEARCH - INTRODUCTION

In this special issue on health communication research, nine studies a re presented on the following subjects: effectiveness of health educat ion and promotion, an instrument for reviewing the effectiveness of he alth education and promotion, consumer awareness of health mass media campaigns, health counseling by primary health care personnel, cues to action in the process of changing lifestyle, perception of anti-smoki ng advertisement, reactions facing threat of nuclear accidents, the ro le of medical journalists, and the results of a multi media course on urinary incontinency. The main focus is an effectiveness analysis, aud iences studies and communication analysis in the broad held of health communication research. Several methodological issues are raised. Appl ications in the field of clinical health promotion, and patient educat ion and counseling are stressed.