Grace Brannon Appointed Associate Editor of Patient Education and Counseling

Friday, Sep 04, 2026 • Jayce K. Smith : Contact

 

Dr. Grace Ellen Brannon, associate professor in The University of Texas at Arlington's Department of Communication, has begun a term as Associate Editor of Patient Education and Counseling (PEC), an interdisciplinary journal focused on communication in health care.

As Associate Editor, Brannon will oversee manuscripts examining the intersection of health, communication, and patient experiences, contributing her expertise to the review and development of research addressing communication across health care settings.

Patient Education and Counseling is the official journal of EACH, the International Association for Communication in Healthcare, and ACH, the Academy of Communication in Healthcare. The journal provides a forum for research on clinical communication, patient education, counseling, health promotion, and approaches to improving communication between patients and health care providers.

"I'm truly excited to join Patient Education and Counseling as an Associate Editor," Brannon said. "I look forward to working with authors and reviewers to help publish thoughtful, rigorous research that advances how we communicate with, as well as care for, patients and families."

Communication at the center of patient care

Brannon's own research interests align closely with the journal's mission. Her scholarship explores contemporary issues in patient education and patient-provider communication, including health literacy, patient participation in health care, decision-making, and the interpersonal skills health care professionals need to communicate effectively with patients.

For Brannon, that work is about more than how information moves between patients and providers. Communication can shape the broader experience of receiving care.

"Communication shapes so much of the healthcare experience: whether people feel heard, how they make sense of complex information, and whether they feel able to participate in decisions about their care," Brannon said. "I'm especially interested in scholarship that takes patients' lived experiences seriously, strengthens patient-provider relationships, and considers how new technologies can support more person-centered communication."

Her appointment provides an opportunity to help advance scholarship addressing those issues while contributing to conversations that span communication, health care, education, and patient experience.

The role also reflects Brannon's broader contributions to health communication through her research, teaching, and professional service at UTA.