Who Shapes the Future of Health Communication? Networks, Silos, and New Imperatives in the Digital Age

Health communication stands at a critical juncture, amidst rapid digital transformation, fragile public trust, and the expanding influence of AI. The field must move towards reasserting its role in advancing credible, inclusive, and dialogic systems of knowledge, practice, and engagement. Drawing on co-authorship network analysis, this article maps the intellectual trajectory of the Journal of Health Communication. It identifies key patterns of collaboration, thematic shifts, and responsiveness to sociopolitical and technological change. Through this empirical and rhetorical synthesis, we reveal how intellectual influence, methodological orientation, and issue prioritization have shaped the development and contours in its ongoing transformation. It sheds light on the dominant frameworks and overlooked areas within health communication research, offering direction for how the field can strengthen its adaptability, equity, and credibility in the digital era.