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Center for Health and Risk Communication

Important Information

Questions about the CHRC? Contact healthriskcenter@umd.edu.

UMD Center for Health and Risk Communication
University of Maryland
Department of Communication
2115 Skinner Building
4300 Chapel Ln.
College Park, MD 20742
tel: 301-405-0640 
healthriskcenter@umd.edu

The Center for Health and Risk Communication 

The University of Maryland Center for Health and Risk Communication is a cross-disciplinary research center committed to advancing human health and well-being through the scientific study of communication processes and effects in addressing societal problems related to health, risk, and science. We promote collaboration and dialogue among government, academia, and industry to pursue evidence-based research that provides meaningful guidelines to the practice of health, risk, and science communication. As a research center, we are also committed to training the next generation of communication scientists and building community partnerships to inform and empower disadvantaged individuals and communities.

Our Team:

The CHRC team consists of faculty and students from the University of Maryland College Park and Baltimore campuses, experts and researchers from organizations outside the University of Maryland system, as well as an advisory board comprised of distinguished scholars and professionals in the field of health, risk, and science communication. CHRC faculty are leaders in their respective expertise areas and conduct externally-funded research of significant impact. Our research has been funded by various sources including the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the American Cancer Society, Prince George’s County Health Department, and the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

Our Expertise:

Together, our faculty, students, and researchers bring diverse cross-cutting expertise that is central to the study of health, risk, and science communication including persuasion and social influence, public relations, mass media, social media, social networks, interpersonal communication, intergroup communication, social identity, and public understanding of science. Our team studies communication processes and effects in health-, risk-, and science-related domains such as cancer prevention and control, immunization, food safety and nutrition, agricultural biotechnology, disasters, environmental sustainability, occupational hazards, rural health, controversial science and technology, health literacy, sexual health, health stigma, and mobile health.

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Affiliate Faculty

Kang Namkoong

Associate Professor, Communication
Director, Center for Health and Risk Communication, Communication

News View All

Center for Health and Risk Communication, Communication

The CHRC 2025 Mini Conference was a Success!
Center for Health and Risk Communication, Communication

Dr. Xiaoli Nan Awarded Impressive Grant from NIH

Center for Health and Risk Communication, Communication

Dr. Kang Namkoong wins Graduate Faculty Mentor of the Year Award for 2025
Center for Health and Risk Communication, Communication

COMM faculty receive a $500,000 UMD Grand Challenges Impact Award to launch the Pandemic Preparedness Initiative (PPI)
Center for Health and Risk Communication, College of Arts and Humanities, Communication

UMD LEADS A STUDY ON IMPROVING HPV VACCINATION RATES AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICAN ADOLESCENTS

Research View All

Factors influencing international students’ adoption of generative artificial intelligence: The mediating role of perceived values and attitudes

Research on international students and AI

Communication, Center for Health and Risk Communication

Author/Lead: Taufiq Ahmad
Dates:

The present study examines the factors influencing international students’ intentions to use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). Our results showed that attitude toward GenAI use, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, enjoyment, subjective norms, novelty, trust in technology, perceived value, and AI literacy were positively associated with intention to use GenAI. Fear of plagiarism had a negative relationship with intention to use GenAI. Our mediation analysis suggested that trust in technology, perceived ease of use, fear of plagiarism, perceived usefulness, and AI literacy indirectly influenced GenAI usage intention via attitude and perceived value, underscoring both the appeal and concerns of GenAI in learning. This study contributed to the TPB, VAM, and TAM frameworks by incorporating fear of plagiarism, trust in technology, and AI literacy to demonstrate how cognitive, affective, and value-based factors collectively influence the adoption of GenAI technologies among international students.

Read More about Factors influencing international students’ adoption of generative artificial intelligence: The mediating role of perceived values and attitudes

Developing the Digital Health Communication Maturity Model: Systematic Review

New article in the Journal of Medical Internet Research

Communication, Center for Health and Risk Communication

Author/Lead: Grace Jeonghyun Kim, Kang Namkoong
Dates:

Digital health has become integral to public health care, advancing how services are accessed, delivered, and managed. Health organizations increasingly assess their digital health maturity to leverage these innovations fully. However, existing digital health maturity models (DHMMs) primarily focus on technology and infrastructure, often neglecting critical communication components. This systematic review addresses gaps in DHMMs by identifying deficiencies in user communication elements and proposing the digital health communication maturity model (DHCMM). The DHCMM integrates critical health communication dimensions such as satisfaction, engagement, personalization, and customization to provide a comprehensive evaluation framework.
 

We followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines to conduct a systematic review of studies selected from 3 databases: EBSCO, PubMed, and ProQuest. Studies were screened and included based on their focus on digital health maturity and communication elements, with the final selection limited to English-language research addressing DHMMs. Of the 1138 initially identified studies, 31 (2.72%) met the inclusion criteria. Current DHMMs heavily emphasize infrastructure while overlooking user engagement and communication; for instance, only 35% (11/31) of the reviewed models incorporated user satisfaction, and less than one-fifth (6/31, 19%) addressed personalization or customization. The DHCMM addresses these gaps with 7 maturity levels, ranging from initial to engaged, and emphasizes user-centered metrics and governance. Quantitative analysis showed substantial variations in communication metrics, with satisfaction metrics incorporated at an average rate of 22% (7/31) across the reviewed models.
 

The DHCMM shifts the focus of digital health maturity assessments by emphasizing communication and user engagement. This model provides health care organizations with a structured framework to enhance digital health initiatives, leading to better patient outcomes and system-wide efficiencies. The model delivers actionable insights for organizations aiming to achieve advanced digital maturity by addressing underrepresented dimensions. Future research should implement and refine the DHCMM across diverse health care contexts to enhance its effectiveness. The adoption of this model could result in more equitable, user-centered health care systems that integrate technological advancements with human-centered care.

Read More about Developing the Digital Health Communication Maturity Model: Systematic Review

All joking aside? Comparing the effects of a humorous vs. a non-humorous message strategy in building organization–public relationships and community resilience

An online experiment in the context of weather messages

Communication, Center for Health and Risk Communication

Contributor(s): Jiyoun Kim, Brooke Fisher Liu, Anita Atwell Seate, Saymin Lee
Non-ARHU Contributor(s): Daniel Hawblitzel
Dates:

Communication scholars have studied the persuasive power of humor messages, but research provides mixed results. Also, the literature has been slow in demonstrating the practical effects of humorous messages on desired outcomes (e.g., organization–public relationships). Through an online experiment in the context of weather messages with samples of U.S. adults residing in the Southeastern U.S. (N = 209), we compared a humorous social media message designed to build relationships with the public to a non-humorous message in predicting OPRs and perceived community resilience when there is no high-impact weather on the horizon. Compared to a humorous message, a non-humorous message appeared to be more effective in increasing perceived community resilience and three dimensions of positive OPRs – trust, control mutuality, and commitment. The effects were more robust for community members with low to moderate levels of weather salience (i.e., the psychological value and importance that people have for the weather).

Read More about All joking aside? Comparing the effects of a humorous vs. a non-humorous message strategy in building organization–public relationships and community resilience

Events and Programs

Past Events

CHRC MINI CONFERENCE

The Center for Health and Risk Communication hosted its annual Mini Conference on Friday, November 14, 2025. The event brought together graduate students, undergraduate students, faculty, and staff from across the Department of Communication. 

Featured Presentations (*indicates Faculty lead): 

Public Perceptions of Climate Justice in the United States
Presented by: ChenChen Wang
Research team: *Becca Beets, Leah Waks, Misa Park, Courtnee Connon, and Chenchen Wang

Social Media Metrics and Perspective-Taking in Persuading AI Regulation
Presented by:  Shilin (Sophie) Xia
Research team: *Jiyoun Kim, Esther Son, Shilin (Sophie) Xia, and Yuxiao Zhang

Effective Use of AI-Generated Images for Non-Profit Disaster Communication
Presented by: Marcus Wu
Research team: *Sun Lee, Marcus Wu, Tania Chanda, and Anuoluwapo Adesina

Can AI Sound Empathetic? A Qualitative Study of ChatGPT’s Role in Student Mental Health Support
Presented by: Seyeon Park
Research team: *Kang Namkoong, Xingman Wu, Rudy Kim, Xinyi Song,  and Austin Ao

AI as a Nonhuman Support Agent: How Chatbot Use Impacts Human Health Discussion Networks
Presented by: Yan Qu
Research team: *Yan Qu, Jeonghyun (Grace) Kim, Austin Ao, Taufiq Ahmad, and Tania Chanda

VIRTUAL SEMINAR SERIES

Watch presentations from our virtual seminar speakers.

Spring 2023: Dr. Xiaoquan Zhao, Professor, George Mason University; Dr. John Besley, Ellis N. Brandt Professor of Public Relations, Michigan State University

Fall 2023: Dr. Angela Cooke-Jackson, Professor, Department of Communication Studies, California State University – Los Angeles, Co-director, Intimate Communication Lab; Dr. Brian Southwell, Senior Director, Science in the Public Sphere, Center for Communication Science, RTI International

Spring 2022: Dr. Shawnika Hull, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, Rutgers University; Visiting Professor, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California – San Francisco and Dr. Emily Vraga, Associate Professor, Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication, University of Minnesota

Fall 2021: Dr. Nathan Walter, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication Studies and Faculty, Center for Communication and Health, Northwestern University and Dr. Jiyoung Lee, Assistant Professor, Journalism & Creative Media, University of Alabama

DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER SERIES (2014-2019)

Watch presentations from our distinguished speakers here.

Fall 2019: Dr. Rajiv Rimal, Professor and Chair, Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health

Spring 2019: Dr. Robert Hornik, Wilbur Schramm Professor of Communication and Health Policy, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylania

Fall 2018: Dr. Susan Morgan, Professor of Communication, Associate Provost for Research and Development, University of Miami

Spring 2018: Dr. Daniel O’Keefe, Owen L. Coon Professor of Communication, Northwestern University

Fall 2017: Dr. James P. Dillard, Distinguished Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences, Pennsylvania State University

Spring 2017: Dr. William Klein, Associate Director, Behavioral Research Program, Director of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute

Fall 2016: Dr. Bradford Hesse, Chief, Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch, Behavioral Research Program, National Cancer Institute

Spring 2016: Dr. K. “Vish” Viswanath, Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Director of the Health Communication Core of the Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center

Fall 2015: Dr. Robin L. Nabi, Professor, Department of Communication, University of California – Santa Barbara

Spring 2015: Dr. Gary Kreps, University Distinguished Professor, Director, Center for Health and Risk Communication, Department of Communication, George Mason University

Fall 2014: Dr. Joseph N. Cappella, Gerald R. Miller Professor of Communication, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania

Resources

Health, Risk, and Science Archives

  • The Risk Communication Bibliography contains over 650 references to published documents that address the communication of public health hazards. The citations and summaries in the Risk Communication Bibliography are an essential starting point for effectively measuring how risks are communicated to and understood by the public. The database includes documents that address the risks, prevention, and treatments of health hazards. Many documents contain information about illnesses, environmental conditions, and accidents.
  • The Bibliography of Tobacco Use and Health Disparities features literature on tobacco-related health disparities and focuses on special populations and themes such as: Asian American and Pacific Islander, Native American, African American, Latino/ Hispanic American, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT), gender, religion, mental illness, disabilities, correctional facilities, occupation, and rural/urban areas.
  • Bibliography of Tobacco-Related Literature on Hispanics/Latinos 1990-2001. This bibliography covers the scientific literature from 1990 to 2001 on tobacco use in the Hispanic/Latino groups as part of a collaborative effort between the NCI Tobacco Control Research Branch and the National Latino Council on Alcohol and Tobacco Prevention. The major search terms incorporate tobacco-related scientific literature pertaining to Hispanic, Latino, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Mexican, Chicano, nicotine, tobacco, smokeless tobacco, smoking and smoking cessation.
  • The Health and Psychosocial Instruments (HAPI) database provides information on measurement instruments including questionnaires, interview schedules, index measures, rating sales, coding schemes, and manuals in biomedicine and psychosocial sciences. HAPI helps researchers and health care practitioners to identify measurement instruments needed for research studies, grant proposals, patient assessment, and program evaluation. A typical HAPI record includes source and location information, validity and reliability information, the authors of the instrument, the year the instrument was created, and references to the published literature.

Health, Risk, and Science Journals

Health Communication Journals

  • American Journal of Preventive Medicine
  • American Journal of Public Health
  • Annual Review of Public Health
  • Environmental Health Perspectives
  • Health Care Risk Report
  • Health Communication
  • Health Communication Science Digest
  • Health Education Journal
  • Health, Risk & Society
  • Journal of Communication in Healthcare
  • Journal of Healthcare Risk Management : The Journal of the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management
  • Journal of Health Communication
  • Journal of Health Economics
  • Journal of Health Psychology
  • Journal of Medical Internet Research
  • National Health Statistics Reports
  • Obesity Reviews
  • Psychology and Health
  • Risk: Health, Safety & Environment
  • The International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine: Side Effects of Drugs – Devices – Surgery – Prevention – Liability
  • Vaccine
  • Vascular Health and Risk Management

Risk Communication Journals

  • Disaster Risk Management Series
  • Human and Ecological Risk Assessment
  • International Journal of Emergency Management
  • International Journal of Risk Assessment and Management
  • Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research
  • Journal of Risk and Uncertainty
  • Journal of Risk Research
  • Risk Abstracts (Online Edition)
  • Risk Analysis: An International Journal
  • Risk, Decision and Policy
  • Risk Management
  • Risk Management and Healthcare Policy
  • Risk Management in Canadian Health Care
  • The Risk Report
  • The RMA Journal

Science Communication Journals

  • Journal of Science Communication
  • Public Understanding of Science
  • Science Communication

Centers

UMD Centers

  • Biostatistics and Risk Assessment Center
  • Center for Health Equity
  • Center for Healthy Families
  • Center for Health Information and Decision Systems
  • Center for Health Outcomes Research
  • Center of Excellence in Health IT Research
  • Center on Young Adult Health and Development
  • Community Health Awareness, Messages, & Prevention
  • Prevention Research Center
  • START: Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism
  • The Herschel S. Horowitz Center for Health Literacy
  • The Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
  • Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science

Other Centers

  • Center for Climate Change Communication, George Mason University
  • Center for Health and Risk Communication, George Mason University
  • Center for Risk Perception and Communication, Carnegie Mellon University
  • Harvard Center for Risk Analysis, Harvard University
  • Health and Risk Communication Center, Michigan State University
  • National Center for Food Protection and Defense
  • National Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events
  • University of Georgia Center for Health and Risk Communication
  • The Food Policy Institute

Government Links

General Resources

Resources for Health Communication

Resources for Risk Communication

Resources for Science Communication

Other Resources