Overview
Communication in healthcare is the exchange of information among health professionals, patients, families, and communities that underpins safe, effective, and equitable care. It encompasses clinician-patient interaction, communication within and between care teams, health education, and the broader dissemination of health messages across populations. Effective communication supports accurate diagnosis, shared decision-making, adherence to treatment, and the building of trust, while communication failures contribute to error, dissatisfaction, and poorer outcomes. The field considers interpersonal and cultural dimensions, including how messages are framed for different audiences and how empowerment and gender dynamics shape whether information is received and acted upon. It also extends to systems and technology: mobile telephone and digital channels can broaden access to services such as antenatal care, and the quality and use of health data within facilities depend on clear reporting and feedback. In public health, communication is central to programmes addressing tobacco control, cancer screening, maternal and child health, and the appropriate use of medicines, where understanding community perceptions and barriers determines uptake. Ethical considerations, including confidentiality, informed consent, and respectful engagement, are integral throughout. By connecting clinical encounters, organisational processes, and population-level messaging, communication in healthcare functions as a core determinant of care quality and health outcomes.
Research published in this journal
10 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
How this research is being cited
The 10 articles above have been cited 24 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
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2026 · BMJ Open Quality
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2026 · Discover Social Science and Health
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2025 · Tobacco Prevention & Cessation
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2025 · African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine
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2025 · African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine
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2025 · Tobacco Prevention & Cessation
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2025 · Frontiers
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Thamra Al Ghafri et al. · 2025 · Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Communication in Healthcare, linking to each citing work.