Health literacy: Research from a South African province
As health writers, we need to recognise and understand the social factors that limit health literacy so we can help our readers understand our health information. We can do this by looking at the key...
View ArticleHealth Communication Research Review – Volume 1, Number 7
Eye movement patterns, health halo claims, genetic cancer risk information, pamphlets v online content and more: browse the latest health communication research. The post Health Communication Research...
View ArticleHow long should it take to write a 500-word article?
This is a question that comes up often in my course groups. And, it’s reasonable and natural to worry about time. Time is money. The less time you spend writing, the more money you make. The more time...
View ArticleEnhancing motivation: a health writing strategy
As health writers, we focus a lot of our energy on knowledge. We write 'how to' articles about eating better, exercising more, breaking bad habits, making healthy choices and reducing risk factors. We...
View ArticleHealth Communication Research Review – Volume 1, Number 8
Motivational factors, text messages and more - browse the latest health communication research. The post Health Communication Research Review – Volume 1, Number 8 appeared first on Health Writer Hub.
View ArticleThe ‘health halo’ effect: perception and myth
Health buzzwords like ‘protein’, ‘paleo’ and ‘organic’ are used by marketers as key selling points for many of today’s health products. Yet these words can also trick consumers into believing a product...
View ArticleLanguage of uncertainty
A US research team aimed to determine the natural language indicators of uncertainty - and then understand how these indicators predict decisional conflict. The post Language of uncertainty appeared...
View ArticleHealth writing trends in 2018
What does the future hold for the health writing industry this year? Are we in good shape, and where are the opportunities? Read on to find out. The post Health writing trends in 2018 appeared first on...
View Article20 ways to assess your writing
There's no denying that assessing your writing is a daunting, confusing task. Luckily, there are quite a few ways to evaluate your skills so you can develop your writing abilities with confidence. The...
View ArticleClear Health Writing Checklist
Producing clear, accurate and engaging health content for a lay or consumer audience can seem extremely daunting. My clear health writing checklist helps you break down the art and science of clear...
View ArticleFear + hope = change: research
Fear-mongering and scare tactics are used in public health campaigns to drive behavioural changes. We see fear in headlines for online articles, food label warnings, pamphlets and brochures. But how...
View ArticleAddressing vaccine hesitancy in writing
Had The Lancet not published their now retracted article, “Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children” by Andrew Wakefield et al. in...
View ArticleTransitioning to freelance life? Ask yourself these questions first
If you’re contemplating a move from working as an employed health writer to working for yourself, it’s important to realise the magnitude of this decision. Working as a freelance health writer has the...
View ArticleTips on writing a successful medical ethics column
Daniel Sokol, lawyer and medical ethicist, has just been shortlisted for the ‘Best Columnist of the Year (Consumer Media)’ award at the PPA Awards 2018 (“the Oscars of the UK publishing industry”). In...
View ArticleHealth Communication Research Review Volume 1, Number 9
The Health Communication Research Review highlights new and exciting research in health and medical communication. This series aims to give you ideas and inspiration for creating effective, useful...
View ArticleDelivering bad news in writing: an evidence-based approach
While there are many evidence-based writing techniques we can use to engage readers to try and get their full, undivided attention, controlling how our readers react to bad news is just as important as...
View ArticleIs Reddit a useful source of health information?
We know that people turn to user-generated content on social media to research their health concerns, but how influential is this health information? And, more importantly, how does this type of...
View ArticleIs humour an effective health communication strategy?
If you write online health content for the general public, should you consider upskilling in a bit of humour writing? The post Is humour an effective health communication strategy? appeared first on...
View ArticleHealth Communication Research Review Volume 1, Number 10
The Health Communication Research Review highlights new and exciting research in health and medical communication. This series aims to give you ideas and inspiration for creating effective, useful...
View ArticleIntegrity in a post-truth world: lessons from AMWA 2018
At AMWA 2018, a hundred or so health and medical communicators gathered in Melbourne for two days to explore the theory behind the concept of integrity in medical communication. Delegates from...
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