Communication, Research, Consulting

Individuals’ decisions to participate in medical research and follow health guidelines are influenced by their own beliefs, fears, and experiences, the opinions and vicissitudes of their beloved ones, and the media. Encouraging them to engage in medical research, adopt healthy behaviors, and follow experts’ recommendations can be a challenge. As a social scientist, I find this challenge particularly intriguing.

I use a social scientific approach to health communication research and intervention design. My work focuses on developing and evaluating persuasive message strategies and interventions to communicate about complex or stigmatized health issues, particularly medical research and cancer prevention and screening behaviors. I am especially interested in the effects of different media and technologies on individuals’ perceptions and health behaviors.

I am Italian but I have lived, studied, worked in Switzerland and United States, where I am currently Assistant Professor within the Department of Communication at the University of Kentucky. For my research, I collaborate with teams located all over the world.