Research shows that including visual elements in written patient education materials can increase patient understanding. This is particularly true for patients with low health literacy. For this reason, many Nova Scotia Health patient education pamphlets include icons, diagrams, and photographs. These visual elements:
The Patient Education Pamphlets team has a small collection of anatomical diagrams and icons available to include in patient education pamphlets. If you need a diagram of a particular body part or system, the team may be able to help you find something suitable. If you would like to add a specific visual element to your pamphlet:
Did you know? Nova Scotia Health team members must pay to use stock images from websites like Getty Images, iStock, and Shutterstock. Be cautious when assuming something is “free” to use. An image may be labeled “royalty free”, but still require payment for use. For more information, visit the Copyright subject guide.
Octapharma©. (2021). Fibryga© with water for injection co-pack. Octapharma©. www.octapharma.ca
Commercial logos and images of specific medical equipment and products can only be used if written permission has been obtained from the equipment or product owners. The Copyright team can help with this.
Questions? Contact the Copyright team at: Copyright@nshealth.ca.
Many Canadians struggle to read and understand health information. Adding visual elements to patient education pamphlets is one way to help improve communication between health care providers and patients, and help the material be more inclusive of those with low health literacy.
The Patient Education Pamphlets Team is happy to help make sure your patient education materials are easy to read and understand, including helping you choose the right icons, diagrams, or photographs. Reach out to us at Pamphlets@nshealth.ca or visit the Content Creator Toolkit to get started.
1. Park, J., & Zuniga, J. (2016). Effectiveness of using picture-based health education for people with low health literacy: An integrative review. Cogent Medicine, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331205X.2016.1264679
2. Schubbe, D., Scalia, P., Yen, R. W., Saunders, C. H., Cohen, S., Elwyn, G., van den Muijsenbergh, M., & Durand, M.-A. (2020). Using pictures to convey health information: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects on patient and consumer health behaviors and outcomes. Patient Education and Counseling, 103(10), 1935–1960. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2020.04.010
3. Tiwari, R. R., Pandey, B., & Chaudhari, K. S. (2023). Image-Based Communication for Strengthening Patient Health Education in Rural and Underserved Settings. Cureus, 15(7), e41279. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.41279
Librarian Educator, Patient Education Pamphlets Lead
Nova Scotia Hospital, Central Zone
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