Health Communication Theory and Research: An Overview of Health Organizations

This overview presents the point of view that health organizations are quite different from other organizations and, therefore, deserve to be studied as a context in their own right. An analytic framework is presented through which communication in health organizations can be studied. This framework entails a three-by-four factor matrix, where levels of communication (individual, interpersonal, group, and organizational) are associated with functions of communication (adaptation, coordination, and integration). Research and theory relevant to each cell within this framework is presented and discussed. Present limitations of this framework are reviewed and specific avenues of elaboration are suggested.