Medical Illustration as a Tool for Health Literacy

Health literacy is most commonly described as the ability of an individual to obtain, comprehend, and utilize information related to their health. Including the ability to read, write, speak, and display numeracy in medical situations, rates of health literacy impact the ability of an individual to navigate the healthcare system and make informed decisions. As reported by the National Assessment of Adult Literacy, only 12% of individuals have the proficiency to understand and manage their health. This research identifies problems existing in health literacy and doctor-patient communication, with an emphasis on consumer health information. It explores resources used for science and medical education, both for the patient and the health care professional. One of these resources, medical illustration, is analyzed to determine the role it plays in explaining biomedical concepts and research. A creative project has been created to encompass the research. The end result of this project is a series of biomedical visualization-based materials for consumer health education. Each project utilizes a different medium and focuses on one of the United States’ most prevalent chronic diseases: diabetes, kidney disease, cancer, and heart disease. All products accompanying this research are created with readability, accuracy, organization, and accessibility in mind, and they demonstrate visual communication of scientific concepts and processes.