Mediating Health: The Powerful Role of the Media

The growing concern over adolescent health has triggered debate and increasing attention about the role of health education. This book illustrates the influence on adolescents’ health literacy, particularly caused by the role of the media. Much of the concern over the declining health of North American adolescents is related to injury and violence, alcohol and other drug use, sexual risk-taking, physical inactivity and poor diet; issues which are connected to behaviours shaped in adolescence that persist into adulthood, and highlight the importance of establishing positive lifelong learning skills. This book suggests that critical media literacy is a necessary skill needed throughout the life-course.