Information Package / Course Catalogue
Health Communication
Course Code: İLT302
Course Type: Area Elective
Couse Group: First Cycle (Bachelor's Degree)
Education Language: Turkish
Work Placement: N/A
Theory: 3
Prt.: 0
Credit: 3
Lab: 0
ECTS: 5
Objectives of the Course

To create a more effective atmosphere between patients and healthcare professionals by increasing the communication skills of doctors and healthcare professionals. To gain to healthcare professionals crisis management skills by enabling physicians and healthcare professionals to use effective communication channels in possible communication accidents. Minimizing violence and anger. to create a more positive health work atmosphere. To create a positive communication language among healthcare professionals.

Course Content

This course covers the fundamental principles of interpersonal and mass communication, the cultural structure of language, and the essentials of effective speech (intonation, emphasis). It addresses crisis management during high-stress and burnout situations for healthcare professionals, communication with patients and their families in times of grief, and professional interaction among healthcare peers. Additionally, the course aims to enhance the public speaking and rhetoric skills of physicians and healthcare professionals before the media, society, and large audiences. Consequently, it enables them to effectively convey their professional issues and experiences to the public within democratic platforms such as professional chambers, associations, or parliament.

Name of Lecturer(s)
Learning Outcomes
1.Critically analyzes representations of healthcare and physicians in media, evaluating their impact on public perception and patient relations.
2.Designs original stories and professional shooting scripts incorporating health-related themes and rhetorical techniques like contrast, concretization, and emotional elevation.
3.Develops and presents strategic media/project proposals for healthcare organizations to manage public opinion, crises, and digital media communication.
4.Manages the pre-production, production, and editing processes of short fiction, documentary, or public service announcements focused on persuasion and perception in healthcare.
5.Generates accurate and ethical audio-visual health content using AI tools and effective language to prevent misinformation, myths, and agitation in broadcasting.
Recommended or Required Reading
1.Carmen Y. Reyes, All Behavior is Communication: How to Give Feedback, Criticism, and Corrections that Improve Behavior, CreateSpace Independent Publishing, 2012.
2.Leil Lowndes, Joyce Bean, How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships, McGraw Hill, 2003.
3.Dan Heath Chip Heath, Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, Crown Business , 2010.
4.Kahneman, Daniel, Thinking, Fast and Slow, Anchor Canada, 2013.
5.Peter Urs Bender, Secrets of Face to Face Communication: How to Communicate With Power, Stoddart Pub, 2002
6.Armin Luthi, Iris Gault, Jean Shapcott, Graeme Reid, Communication in Nursing and Healthcare, 2016.
7.Jeff Mason, Laurie Kelly McCorry, Communication Skills for the Healthcare Professional, 2011.
8.A. Pilnick, Jon Hindmarsh, Virginia Teas Gill, Communication in Healthcare Settings: Policy, Participation, 2010.
9.Renata Schiavo, Health Communication: From Theory to Practice, 2007.
10.Claudia Parvanta, Sarah Bass , Health Communication: Strategies and Skills, 2018.
11.Richard N. Harner, David E. Nelson, Claudia Parvanta, Sarah Parvanta, Essentials of Public Health Communication, 2010.
12.Laura Cooley, Calvin Chou, Communication Rx: Transforming Healthcare Through Relationship Centered Communication, 2017.
13.Teresa L. Thompson, Roxanne Parrott, Jon F. Nussbaum,The Routledge Handbook of Health Communication, 2011.
14.Michael P. Pagano, Communication Case Studies for Health Care Professionals, Second Edition: An Applied Approach, 2014.
15.Lisa Daniel Sparks, Kevin B. Wright, Dan O'Hair ,Health Communication in the 21st Century, 2012.
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical
Hope factor in oratory and communication – Effective communication barriers
Week 2 - Theoretical
Sociological and psychological foundations of oratory and communication
Week 3 - Theoretical
Form in communication and oratory – The technique of concretization
Week 4 - Theoretical
Representation effect in communication and representation propaganda – The principle of opposition
Week 5 - Theoretical
Theoretical communication techniques: balance, line of repetition, renewal, ambiguity, determination, and politeness
Week 6 - Theoretical
Mechanisms of perception creation, part-whole relationship, and theories of manipulation
Week 7 - Theoretical
Linguistics in oratory: Intonation, emphasis, connotation effect, effective use of language, and threshold theories
Week 8 - Theoretical
The psychology of first impression: Initial effect, transfer of morale/satisfaction vs. anger accumulation – Synergy effect of reception services in health centers, and geometric increase effect on emotions
Week 9 - Theoretical
Mass media, internet, and social media – The role of mass media in shaping the public perception of healthcare professionals and physicians
Week 10 - Theoretical
Principles of public speaking and the theory of improvisation
Week 11 - Theoretical
Structure of press releases, media-public communication, and public opinion building models
Week 12 - Theoretical
Representations of health and physicians in cinema/media, and their sociological effects on face-to-face patient-doctor communication
Week 13 - Theoretical
Theoretical concepts of myths, agitation, and the use of ambiguous expressions in communication
Week 14 - Theoretical
Economic, political, and cultural influences on persuasion – The persuasion process in healthcare environments
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Type of AssessmentCountPercent
Attending Lectures5%5
Quiz1%10
Midterm Examination1%25
Final Examination1%60
Workload Calculation
ActivitiesCountPreparationTimeTotal Work Load (hours)
Lecture - Theory141356
Individual Work101340
Quiz1000
Midterm Examination110111
Final Examination120121
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)128
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
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5
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4
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3
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5
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4
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4
4
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5
3
5
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5
3
4
4
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026