Epilogue

Abstract

Using a language and social psychological approach, the articles in this special issue explore complex health communication issues from a variety of perspectives. Despite their considerable diversity, however, all these articles highlight the importance of two constructs that are often underappreciated in health communication research: identity and context. Across a range of domains, these studies consistently show how identity concerns can influence interaction, and how communication and language use can both shape and be shaped by context. If we want to successfully address the challenges we face in health care today, we need to look beyond individual actors and messages, and consider the environmental, social, and relational contexts in which they are situated, and the associated identities at play. These two themes, highlighted in these articles, point the way forward for health communication research.