Parrott did a nice job of explaining the different ways in which we can talk about health, adding personal anecdotes to make the points more relatable. However, her arguments encouraging the public to be better communicators were not overly convincing, lacking depth and data. While this may have been intentional (many people cite confusing numbers and statistics as a reason to not talk about health), the lack of hard evidence took away some of her authority and credibility (22).
Parrott divides the book into eight chapters, six of which are devoted to the frequently asked questions about health – How ‘normal’ am I?, What are my ‘risk’ factors?, Why don’t we get ‘care’?, Is the ‘public good’ good for me?, Who profits from my health?, and What’s politics got to do with it? She introduces the book by expressing her understanding that talking about health is not easy, that being open about such personal issues can cause feelings of embarrassment, fear, regret, confusion and guilt. However, she is quick to emphasize that while it may be difficult, it is absolutely necessary to communicate about health. She argues that “gaps in talk” lead to “gaps in confusion” which lead to “gaps in behavior” which result in unhealthy habits (17).
A theme that continues throughout the book is the idea that only you can see and understand the complete picture of your health (38). Only you can know about the wrists you’ve sprained, the medications you’ve taken, or the symptoms you’ve experienced. Therefore, each individual must take responsibility in talking and listening, asking and learning about his or her health. This responsibility, however, does not come without challenges – most of which Parrott addresses. From not knowing what questions to ask a doctor to not being able to reach family to learn about their medical history, there are countless roadblocks that get in the way of effectively communicating about health.
Unfortunately, Parrott offers little advice for how to overcome such challenges. Most books are used to either entertain or to inform. In Talking About Health, Parrott does neither. Although she offers simple, straight-forward information, such simplicity takes away the “pop” needed to entertain and the hard facts needed to fully inform.
The target audience for this book is not public relations professionals. It is everyday citizens, struggling to understand their health and how to talk about it in the midst of the confusion. Although professional communicators can learn something from the book as members of the public, there is little to gain regarding how to better communicate from the “other side.” People generally interested in health may find this book appealing, but Parrott does not draw in the readers she most hopes to gain – those uninterested or unwilling to talk about health. Therefore, I would only recommend this book to those already eager to learn about how to better communicate about health on an individual level. Anyone else will likely neither gain motivation nor insight from reading Parrott’s non-fiction.
KELLEY SOUSA
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill