For the first time, health communication was allocated a chapter in the United States of America (USA)’s Healthy People 2010 objectives,illustrating its growing importance, according to Parrott.1 In these objectives, set by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, health communication is seen to have relevance for virtually every aspect of health and well-being, including disease prevention, health promotion and quality of life. This increase in the prominence of the field, externally, is happening contemporaneously with important developments taking place, internally, one of which is the focus on the study of environmental, social and psychological influences on behaviour and health.