Aim: Health communication research has experienced a rapid growth in recent years across Asia. The diverse and rich Asian cultures, socio-economic modes, policy regulations, and familial factors contribute to a wide range of exciting research agendas and provide enormous opportunities to advance knowledge about the meanings and practices of health as well as the explanation, prediction, intervention, and control of disease and illness. This symposium invites researchers to share their observations of challenges and opportunities to conduct health communication research in the Asian context or from the Asian perspective. Key issues that will be interrogated in this symposium include: The Implications of Information and Technology in Health Communication; Theory, Ethics, and Methodological Issues in Health Communication; Culture and Health; Risk and Crisis, and Emergent Issues in Health Communication with an Asian focus.

Organizers: Centre for Media and Communication Research, School of Communication, Hong Kong Baptist University; Department of Communication Studies, School of Communication, Hong Kong Baptist University

4 March 2021 (Thursday) from Hong Kong Time (GMT+8) 0815 to 1150

08:15 to 08:30 a.m. Opening Speech by Prof. Yu Huang, Dean of the School of Communication, Hong Kong Baptist University

Chair: Dr. Leanne Chang, Centre for Media and Communication Research, Hong Kong Baptist University

Panel 1: Hong Kong Time (GMT + 8) 0830 to 1000

Information and Intervention in the Digital Era

Chair: Dr. Jolie Shi, Communication Studies Department, Hong Kong Baptist University

Invited Speaker: Prof. Kevin Wright (George Mason University, USA)

Topic: Online Support Communities, Communication Processes, and Health Outcomes

Invited Speaker: Prof. Jeff Niederdeppe (Cornell University, USA)

Topic: A Perspective on Future Directions for Health Communication in the Digital Era

Invited Speaker: Associate Professor Emily Vraga (University of Minnesota, USA)

Topic: Identifying and Responding to Health Misinformation on Social Media: The Challenges of Modern Media

Panel 2: Hong Kong Time (GMT + 8) 1020 to 1150

Key Theoretical, Methodological, and Ethical Issues in Health Communication

Chair: Dr. Leanne Chang, Centre for Media and Communication Research, Hong Kong Baptist University

Invited Speaker: Prof. Teri Thompson (University of Dayton, USA)

Topic: Reflection of Theories and Ethics in Health Communication

Invited Speaker: Prof. Sandi Smith (Michigan State University, USA)

Topic: A Place at the Table for Communication Scholars in Transdisciplinary Health Research and Implementation

Invited Speaker: Prof. Mohan Dutta (Massey University, New Zealand)

Topic: Transformations in Theorizing Health and Communication: Asian Imaginaries

5 March 2021 (Thursday) from Hong Kong Time (GMT+8) 0830 to 1500

Panel 3: Hong Kong Time (GMT + 8) 0830 to 1000

Culture and Health

Chair: Dr. Dominic Yeo, Communication Studies Department, Hong Kong Baptist University

Invited Speaker: Associate Professor Douglas Storey (Johns Hopkins University, USA)

Topic: Cross-cultural Use of the Ideation Model to Inform COVID-19 Behavior Change Strategies Over Time in 15 Asian Countries: July 2020-January 2021

Invited Speaker: Assistant Professor Iccha Basnyat (James Madison University, USA)

Topic: Intersections of Culture, Gender & Health

Invited Speaker: Prof. Evelyn Ho (University of San Francisco, USA)

Topic: Speaking Holistically: The Cultural Codes of Everyday Health Beliefs

Panel 4: Hong Kong Time (GMT + 8) 1020 to 1150

Risk and Crisis in Health Communication

Chair: Dr. Stephanie Jean Tsang, Communication Studies Department, Hong Kong Baptist University

Invited Speaker: Prof. Marco Yzer (University of Minnesota, USA)

Topic: The Usefulness of the Reasoned Action Approach for COVID-19 Messaging in Asia

Invited Speaker: Prof. Shirley Ho (Nanyang Technological University, Singapore)

Topic: Tackling the COVID-19 Infodemic: Public Reactions and Responsibilities of the Scientific Community

Invited Speaker: Prof. Gary Kreps (George Mason University, USA)

Topic: The Role of Health and Risk Communication in Responding to Pandemics and Other Serious Health Crises

Panel 5: Hong Kong Time (GMT + 8) 1330 to 1500

Emerging Agendas in Health Communication

Chair: Dr. Vincent Wang, Journalism Department, Hong Kong Baptist University

Invited Speaker: Prof. May Lwin (Nanyang Technological University, Singapore)

Topic: A Year of Studies Surrounding the COVID-19 Infodemic: Insights from Singapore

Invited Speaker: Professor Trisha Lin (National Chengchi University, Taiwan)

Topic: COVID-19 Technological Pandemic Prevention in Taiwan: Health Data Innovations and News Framing of Data Issues

Invited Speaker: Associate Professor Liang Chen (Sun Yat-sen University, China)

Topic: The Use of Social Media in Health Communication Campaigns: Information Sources and Social Cues

Invited Speaker: Assistant Professor Shaohai Jiang (National University of Singapore)

Topic: The Ecological Model of Patient-Provider Communication: An Asian Perspective

This event is co-organized with Communication Studies Department, Hong Kong Baptist University