International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research Methods Vol.10, No.4, pp.8-27, 2023 Print ISSN: ISSN 2398-712X, Online ISSN: ISSN 2398-7138 Website: https://www.eajournals.org/ Publication of the European Centre for Research Training and Development -UK 8 Understanding Trends in Health Communication and Appropriate Design for Outstanding Research Outcome in Nigeria Harvey G.O.Igben , DBS, Ph.D. Department of Mass Communication, Delta State University, Abraka Lucas Madubuchukwu Enebeli Department of Mass Communication, Delta State University, Abraka doi: https://doi.org/10.37745/ijirm.14/vol10n4827 Published November 30, 2023 Citation: Igben H.G.O. and Enebeli L.M. (2023) Understanding Trends in Health Communication and Appropriate Design for Outstanding Research Outcome in Nigeria, International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research Methods, Vol.10, No.4, pp.8-27 ABSTRACT: This study evaluated the frequency of health communication issues published in Journal of Communication and Media Research (JCMR) as a percentage of the total publications, the dominant themes on health communication in the JCMR and the dominant research designs used in the studies on health communication in the JCMR. A qualitative research design was employed in this study with survey of literature in the JCMR. The study found that the average coverage of health communication by health communication scholars in JCMR. was the predominant thematic area of health communication covered by JCMR. It established that the theme of assessment and evaluation of health interventions and campaigns and the theme of Doctor-Patient Communication is the lowest area of attention. This can be justified by the fact that it is relatively a new area of health communication research in Nigeria. It was discovered that majority of researchers did not specify the research design employed in the various articles in JCMR while case study research was the dominant design that scholars used in JCMR. KEYWORD: research design, validity, health communication, publication, evaluation, frequency INTRODUCTION Research can be described as an organised enquiry aimed at providing information for solving identified problems. It is an expansive, consistent, systematic, and objective enquiry with respect to validity, reliability and logicality. A lot of studies had been undertaken in the name of research or educational research but in reality they lack what it takes to qualify as one. Much of these works are not logical, systematic, and objective. According to Jongbo (2014), for an inquiry to qualify as a research, it must satisfy the following essential conditions: first, it must be based on a definite research problem or issue and good quality research questions. Second, it must be informed by appropriate ways via theories and concepts. Third, it must