The state of health public relations: A content analysis of published articles in seven communication journals from 2001 to 2021

By analyzing 162 articles published in seven peer-reviewed communication journals, this study sheds light on the research topics, theories, methods, and authorship of articles in the health public relations literature. An examination of current research in health public relations is essential to identify literature gaps and guide future research directions. The findings demonstrate that research interest in health public relations has fluctuated over the past two decades. Theoretically grounded studies represent most of the studies in this field, with the situational theory and relationship management applied most often. Regarding methodology, quantitative research is prevalent, with survey method used most often, followed by content analysis and in-depth interviews. Research topics that involve health content consistently receive significant attention, while relationship management has begun to dominate the research discourse in recent years.