The potential of educational comics as a health information medium

McNicol, SL (2017) The potential of educational comics as a health information medium. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 34 (1). pp. 20-31. ISSN 1471-1834

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/hir.12145

Abstract

Objectives To investigate ways in which educational comics might provide support in dealing with feelings and attitudes towards health conditions, as well as improving understanding of factual information and to identify potential weakness of comics as a medium for health information. Methods Semi-structured interviewees with eleven university students who either had a mental or physical health condition themselves or had a family member with a health condition. Results The result highlighted the potential value of comics as a format for health information. In addition to conveying factual information, comics offer opportunities for self-awareness, reassurance, empathy, companionship and a means to explore the impact of illness on family relationships. However, there are notable barriers to the greater use of comics to provide health information, namely, a lack of awareness of, and easy access to, educational comics, along with the perception that comics are exclusively light-hearted and for children. Conclusions Currently, the full potential of comics in health settings is not being realised. Health information professionals may be in a position to address this issue through identifying, cataloguing, indexing and promoting comics as a legitimate format for health information.

Item Type:	Article
Peer-reviewed:	Yes
Date Deposited:	13 Jun 2016 14:22
Publisher:	Wiley
Additional Information:	This is an Open Access article published in Health Information and Libraries Journal, published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Health Libraries Group, copyright The Author.
Divisions:	Faculties > Health and Education
Subject terms:	Science & Technology, Technology, Information Science & Library Science, bibliotherapy, consumer health information, health information needs, information sources, interviews, learning, patient information, qualitative research, BIBLIOTHERAPY, SCIENCE, Humans, Awareness, Qualitative Research, Cartoons as Topic, Interviews as Topic, Patient Education as Topic, Consumer Health Information, bibliotherapy, consumer health information, health information needs, information sources, interviews, learning, patient information, qualitative research, Awareness, Cartoons as Topic, Consumer Health Information, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Patient Education as Topic, Qualitative Research, 0807 Library and Information Studies, 1110 Nursing, 1117 Public Health and Health Services, Information & Library Sciences
URI:	https://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/612744
DOI:	https://doi.org/10.1111/hir.12145
ISSN	1471-1834
e-ISSN	1471-1842

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