Research and evaluation in health communication.

The purpose of this review is to briefly summarize the nature and extent of research and evaluation in health communication, focusing primarily on the importance of interpersonal skills in practice settings and in the education of patients. The focus of research activities has varied from the socio-behavioral aspects of health and illness to patient outcomes and the results of providing care to the nature of interpersonal interactions in health settings. Evaluative research is more advanced, with the greatest emphasis being on the evaluation of clinical interviewing skills and the development of assessment scales. Future trends in health communication research and evaluation are noted, and some comments and suggestions are provided to assist in these efforts.