Celebrity Health Narratives and the Public Health

We follow celebrities on Twitter and Facebook, watch them on television, and read about them in supermarket checkout lines. Our relationship with celebrities has never been so immediate. Their personal trials are news headlines and water cooler talk. Offering the first extensive look at celebrity health sagas, this book examines the ways in which their stories become our stories, influencing public perception and framing dialog about wellness, disease and death. These private-yet-public narratives drive fund-raising, reduce stigma and influence policy. Celebrities such as Mary Tyler Moore, Robin Roberts, Michael J. Fox, and Christopher Reeve--as well as 200 others included in the study--have left a lasting legacy.

Author: Christina S. Beck, Stellina M. a. Chapman, Nathaniel Simmons
Publisher: McFarland & Company
Published: 07/26/2015
Pages: 252
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 8.90h x 6.00w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9780786479719
Audience: Young Adult

About the Author
Christina S. Beck is a professor and associate director of graduate studies in the School of Communication Studies at Ohio University. She has authored or edited 11 books, in addition to multiple book chapters and journal articles, and her current research interests are at the intersections of health communication, fandom, and media studies. She lives in Athens, Ohio. Stellina M.A. Chapman works online with a diverse population of students as an adjunct professor for Ohio University and SUNY New Paltz. She has a strong background in health education and behavior modification. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri. Nathaniel Simmons is a communication faculty member within the General Education Department at Western Governors University. His research primarily explores public-private negotiations within health and intercultural contexts. He lives in Columbus, Ohio. Kelly E. Tenzek is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Communication at SUNY Buffalo, where she researches and teaches content related to difficult conversations. She lives in Williamsville, New York. Stephanie M. Ruhl is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Clemson University. Her research interest is in the communicative experiences of health and healing. She lives in Clemson, South Carolina.