KU to host expert in health communications

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Journalism and Mass Communications and its Center for Excellence in Health Communication to Underserved Populations (CEHCUP) will host Dr. Kasisomayajula Viswanath for a three-day visit to KU, including CEHCUP and the KU Medical Center in Kansas City, March 27-29.

Viswanath is director of Health Communication Core at the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and a professor in the Department of Medical Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. His research and expertise focuses on communication science, social epidemiology, and social and health behavior sciences, the translational communication science to influence public health policy and practice. Through his research, Viswanath works to understand the relationship between communication inequalities and disparities in public and individual health in diverse populations and the implications for knowledge translation to influence public health practice and policy.

Viswanath will be on campus meeting with researchers and students, as well as giving presentations. “The Communication Revolution and Health Inequalities in the 21st Century: Promises and Pitfalls" will be presented at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, March 28, in the Clarkson Gallery in Stauffer-Flint Hall, and at 2:30 p.m. Friday, March 29, at the Beller Conference Room at KU Medical Center.

Mugur Geana, associate professor at the journalism school and director of CEHCUP, says Viswanath’s visit will provide the opportunity for the two schools to learn from each other’s research efforts, and to possibly work together on future health communications projects.

"Dr. Viswanath is one of the most prominent scholars in health communication; his visit to KU will hopefully encourage further academic collaboration between our school and Harvard University,” Geana said. “We also look forward to his input to some of the projects currently under development at the Center for Excellence in Health Communication to Underserved Populations as well as his lecture on the impact of communication on health inequalities."

To learn more about Viswanath's visit, contact Royetta Rodewald, executive assistant to the director of CEHCUP at 785-864-4343 or by email.