ABSTRACT
A great deal of media effects research has directly or indirectly engaged the topic of health. The scholarship on health-related media effects reaches across many subfields, including persuasion, entertainment, and journalism. In addition to its broad applicability to many other areas, the context of health media also offers unique insights in the way it addresses the interplay of concepts such as personal relevance, uncertainty, and risk. This chapter offers an examination of some of the important issues, theories, notable studies, current controversies, and emerging trends facing researchers interested in health-related media effects and their real-world applications.
