There has been a pressing need for a book like this for some time. Gwyncogently reviews the literature on discourse analysis as it pertains to medicaland health... » 

There has been a pressing need for a book like this for some time. Gwyncogently reviews the literature on discourse analysis as it pertains to medicaland health matters. Introducing original research from his own studies allowshim to vividly illustrate just how important it is to understand the roleplayed by discourse. Students of health communication and the sociology ofhealth and illness will find this book integral to their studies DeborahLuptonIn this book Richard Gwyn demonstrates the centrality of discourse analysis toan understanding of health and communication. Focusing on language andcommunication issues he demonstrates that it is possible to observe and analyzepatterns in the ways in which health and illness are represented andarticulated by both health professionals and lay people.Communicating Health and IllnessExplores culturally validated notions of health and sickness and themedicalization of illness.Surveys media representations of health and illnessConsiders the metaphoric nature of talk about illnessContributes to the ongoing debate in relation to narrative based medicine. «