ABSTRACT
The interpersonal communication about health and illness that people engage in every day is an important—and often foundational—space in which people learn about and manage health and illness. This chapter provides a broad overview of the ways in which everyday interpersonal communication (IPC) about health and illness plays a role in people’s lives. Specifically, this chapter reviews (a) the topics and channels used to talk about health by members of close social networks, (b) the influence of IPC on individual’s health behaviors and decisions, and (c) the ways people use IPC to manage illness. The chapter concludes by illuminating areas where future research is needed to further explore this important area of communication.
