1. UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
VISUAL LITERACY:
IMPLEMENTING VISUALS IN COMMUNICATING
HEALTHCARE INFORMATION
NOR SYAMIMI BINTI SAMSUDIN
2012359041
ED702
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
FACULTY OF EDUCATION
DECEMBER 2013
1

2. CONTENTS
CONTENTS.........................................................................................................................2
CHAPTER 1 .......................................................................................................................3
1.0 Introduction.............................................................................................................3
1.1 Problem Statement..................................................................................................5
1.2 Research Objectives................................................................................................6
1.3 Research Questions.................................................................................................7
1.4 Significance of the Study........................................................................................7
1.5 Limitation of the Study...........................................................................................8
1.6 Operational Definitions...........................................................................................9
1.6.1 Visual Literacy..............................................................................................9
1.6.2 Visuals...........................................................................................................9
1.6.3 Communication.............................................................................................9
1.6.4 Healthcare information...............................................................................10
1.7 Conclusion............................................................................................................10
CHAPTER 2 .....................................................................................................................10
2.0 Introduction...........................................................................................................11
2.1 Visual Literacy .....................................................................................................11
2.2 Problem in understanding healthcare information................................................12
2.2.1 Literacy.......................................................................................................13
2.2.2 Age..............................................................................................................14
2.2.3 Disability.....................................................................................................14
2.2.4 Language.....................................................................................................14
2.2.5 Culture.........................................................................................................14
2.2.6 Emotion.......................................................................................................15
2.3 Communication through visuals...........................................................................15
2.4 Conceptual framework..........................................................................................18
2.5 Conclusion............................................................................................................19
CHAPTER 3 .....................................................................................................................20
3.0 Introduction...........................................................................................................20
3.1 Research Design ...................................................................................................21
3.2 Population and Sampling......................................................................................22
3.3 Instrumentation ....................................................................................................22
3.3.1 Questionnaire..............................................................................................22
3.3.2 Unstructured interview................................................................................23
3.3.3 Document analysis......................................................................................23
This study also uses documents from others research and then a document analysis
are carried out. For the document analysis, the researcher would also get the
additional sources such as books, newspapers, the Internet and so on to supplement
the findings. All the data were analyzed to obtain the complete information and facts.
.....................................................................................................................................23
3.4 Data Collection.....................................................................................................24
3.5 Data Analysis........................................................................................................24
3.6 Conclusion............................................................................................................25
The Bibliography...............................................................................................................26
APPENDICES...................................................................................................................29
2

3. CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction
Art and science is the branch of knowledge but there was split between two
hemispheres of brain; left and right brain. According to Williams (1983), the left brain
more to analytical skills, language, mathematical concepts, medical experimental, logic
and science stream while right brain characteristic based on creativity, the ability to see
pattern, spatial awareness, visual and art stream. He stated that if both of the
hemisphere combined, there will be contributed toward effective instructional material in
educating people in future. In this study, the implementation of art into science or
medical areas in communicating healthcare information will be studied.
3

4. Figure 1: The illustration by Mark Tatro, Rotate Graphic (www.rotategraphic.com)
Health literacy is about communication and understanding. It affects how people
understand wellness and illness, participate in health promotion and prevention
activities, weigh decisions about treatment, take medications, and follow self-care
instructions. Health literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals have the
capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services
needed to make appropriate health decisions (Osborne,2005)
4

5. According to Andrus and Roth (2002), healthcare practitioner face problem in
recognizing when patients do not understand written words and challenging on how to
communicate through visuals or other visual media. In recent years, there has been an
increasing interest in implementing visuals in communicating healthcare information by
the doctor. The integration of art (visuals literacy) into science (health literacy) will be
facilitating people in understanding healthcare information in effectively and promoting
the best healthcare services.
However, not all health professionals have time, interest, or talent to draw, and the
information may be too complex to simply convey in visuals. They not artists or designer
to come out with graphically design of healthcare information. The is no reason to expect
that health professionals either know to draw pictures or feel confident doing so. Here,
the art practitioner can plays the roles as the facilitator or designer in creating handout
specific to a medical practice or facility. Collaborations between health professionals and
visual artist are often more effective than working alone (Osborne, 2005).
The good health and well-being require a clean and harmonious relationship
between doctor and patients. The integration of the visual into healthcare environments
can play a important role in achieving these objective. Moreover, those who provide
healthcare now understand that communicating clearly with their patient is essential to
quality patient care and serve the quality of healthcare service.
1.1 Problem Statement
This research is based on several factors. Patients and their family members often
receive an overwhelming amount of health information. The content may be unfamiliar,
5

6. complicated, confusing or perhaps even frightening. The format can include numbering
data, dense text, unreadably small fonts and number presented as fractions or decimals
or percentages. Adding to these problems, patients and their families often receive
health information at times when they feel sick, distracted an are not at their learning
best (Osborne, 2006).
"...The doctor or healthcare administrator never laid a hand on me, he or she
never touched me, he or she was hardly listening and they were busy entering stuff into
the computer and they start to do assumption on the disease about the patient. The
doctor just say the biological terminology that I cannot understand and they will suggest
the medication and do's and dont's and they asked to come back for another 4
weeks..".
(The Fading Art of The Physical Exam by Richard Knox ,2012)
Based on the statement above that stated by Richard Knox in his research, he
believed that common patient complaint about on how the doctor treats them as the
patients. The important of healthcare story is as to recognize emergencies, essential
information, to follow the medical instruction and to know what to do when they occur.
So, every patient has the rights to access competent healthcare and treatment because
this can truly be a matter of life and death. If the communication just on verbally not
attached with visual and adding with patient's emotion in that time, might be the
healthcare information end up with the wrong interpretation by the patients.
1.2 Research Objectives
The research objectives of this study are:
6

7. i.
To identify why people have trouble in understanding healthcare information.
ii. To identify the design of visual that want to implement in communicating healthcare
information
iii. To produce the effective visuals literacy tools that can help interpret the healthcare
information.
1.3 Research Questions
The research questions for this study are:
i.
Why people have trouble in understanding healthcare information?
ii. How the design of visual that want to implement in communicating healthcare
information?
iii. How to produce the effective visuals literacy tools that can help interpret the
healthcare information?
1.4 Significance of the Study
The significance of this research is as to promoting on how visual can help in
interpreting the healthcare information. This study also contributing on how important art
by using visual as the simple approach in delivering healthcare information. It is
important to make a study, documentation and producing visual materials that related to
deliver the healthcare information as a references for the benefit to people.
7

8. According to Fitzgerald (1995), visual literacy are becoming the predominant
form of communication across a range of learning and teaching resources, delivered
across a range of medias and formats. He argued that the visual literacy is now crucial
for obtaining information, constructing knowledge and building successful educational
outcomes. These reasons seem to be relevant as the significance of this study as to
relate visual literacy in health literacy together. People needs to aware with the important
of the implementation of visual literacy in communicating healthcare information because
everyone in this world is involved with healthcare matter since we are early infancy to
older ages.
It is hoped that the findings from this study will provide insights to this issues may
help health professionals in implementing visuals in communicating to their patients
about the healthcare information and fully conveyed in effective ways. This study also as
the encouragement of visuals artists to involve in actively in society in contributing
something useful in healthcare aspects.
1.5 Limitation of the Study
The main limitation of this research is the integration between science and art
together in one research. The researcher need to study about the medication area that not
very familiar and need to ask many expertise in this area for avoid to gain the wrong data
and misleading healthcare information. Moreover, the researcher also need to find out the
variety of resources from biological, medication and art to obtain the information.
8

9. The researcher should have to produce a visual material based on healthcare
information. The limitation also from the process of development in producing a visual
material based on healthcare story. The researcher should have to understand the health
information first and interpret all of the text in the visual art form. The duration for
producing final product is quite short and the important of final product’s quality is
needed.
1.6 Operational Definitions
1.6.1 Visual Literacy
According to Giorgis, Johnson, et.al, (1999), visual literacy refers to the ability
in constructing the meaning from visual images. In this research, visual literacy is
defined as an ability to understanding the meaning of visuals in healthcare
information.
1.6.2 Visuals
Visuals refers to a picture, a piece of film, or display used to illustrate or
accompany something, etc , used to make an article or a talk easier to understand
or more interesting (The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, 7 th Edition, 2005). In
this research, visuals is defined as a tools or material to convey the meaning of
healthcare information in effectively.
1.6.3 Communication
Communication is defined as a process of transmitting ideas, informations,
attitudes by the use of symbols, words, pictures, figures from the source, for the
9

10. purpose of influencing with intent (Rappaport, 2002). In this study, communication
refer to the process of telling something about healthcare information and
participating people to understanding the contents.
1.6.4 Healthcare information
Healthcare information refers to the process of telling something about the
healthcare or medical information that involved the communication between the
doctor and the patient (American Medical Association Foundation, 2003). In this
study, healthcare information defined as the information about healthcare that will be
explained by the doctor to patients using the visuals as the medium of instruction.
1.7 Conclusion
This chapter has covered the background of this study, the statement of the
research problem, the research objectives, the research questions, the operational
definitions, the limitation of this study and the significance of this study. The literature
review of the topics related to this study will be discussed in the next chapter.
CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
10

11. 2.0 Introduction
In this chapter we will be focusing on the perspectives of other researchers, as
well as previous researches to be able to produce a more significant and concrete
research. The research that is being done is the contents of visual literacy and health
literacy. Other than that, this research will also explore the relationship between visuals
and healthcare information itself. Summarized in the following review of the literature are
the definition of visual literacy, the important of visual literacy, the problem in
understanding healthcare information and how visuals can help in communicating
healthcare information.
2.1 Visual Literacy
The term "visual literacy" originally coined by John Debes in 1968 and he believed
that it is the ability to see, comprehend, discriminate and interpret objects and symbols in
the environment, integrate them with other sensory experiences and use them to
creatively communicate with others or derive enjoyment (Debes, 1968). Later, according
to Cochran (1972) in Ausburn and Ausburn (1978), she examined 72 different definitions
of visual literacy and identified three themes in common; human abilities, teaching
strategies and the promotion of ideas based on the types of visual language in body
language, object language, sign and symbol language and abstract language.
Visual literacy can be defined as the ability to interpret, use, appreciate and create
images and video using both conventional and 21st century media in ways that advance
thinking, decision, making, communication and learning. Visual literacy also refers to the
learned ability to interpret visual and messages accurately and to create such
11

12. messages. There have two major approaches; helping learners to decode, or "read",
visuals proficiently by practicing visual analysis skills and helping learners to encode, or
"write", visuals to express themselves and communicate with others (Smaldino, Lowther
& Russell, 2012).
According to Ausburn & Ausburn (1978), visual literacy includes the group of skills
which enable an individual to understand and use visuals for intentionally communicating
with others. The International Visual Literacy Association (IVLA) was founded to
investigate the potential value of visual literacy principle and to apply them to enhance
education and communication. There has been a steady development in the field since
that time, and visual aids have been integrated into classroom instruction, advertising,
business,
and
patient
education
regarding
healthcare
procedures
(http://www.uniteforsight.org/visual-literacy/module3#_ftnref1).
Visual literacy encourages an appreciation and comprehension of visual
communication. In healthcare matter, visual literacy allowed a healthcare professionals to
be able to interpret and communicate difficult terminologies and explain to their patient
about their condition. Two ways of communication achieved in successfully if the
healthcare professionals share the responsibilities and the patients understand the contents
about the healthcare information. The important of visual literacy contributes to problem
solving and critical thinking through exposure to interesting and varied images in
communicating healthcare information materials.
2.2 Problem in understanding healthcare information
Patients and their family members often struggle to understand health information.
12

13. According to Thompson (2003), discussing health topics with patients orally presents
many challenges. He added that verbal instruction are often complex, delivered rapidly
and easily forgotten in stressful situations. In addition, language barriers present
comprehension problem.
Strunk (1979) stated that how people absorb some information is different from
others; auditory learners, kinesthetic learner and visual leaners.Besides of the learner
style, Osborne (2006) stated that people have trouble understanding health information
because of learning challenges. There are literacy aspect, age, disability, culture and
emotion of the patients. Instead, people might be also are in different learning
characteristic.
2.2.1 Literacy
Literacy has been consistently observed as critical to participation in healthcare
programs and to improve quality of live. According to Smaldino, Lowther and Russell
(2012), they claimed that literacy is defined as an individual's ability to read, write,
speak, compute and solve problem at levels of proficiency necessary to function on
the job and in society, to achieve one's goals and to develop one's knowledge and
potential. People with low literacy will have difficulty learning information from many
written patient medical materials, including medication labels. A lot of health
information is in written formats like brochures, fact sheet and websites. To
understand these materials, people who struggle with literacy almost always have
trouble understanding health information because so much of it is communicated in
writing.
13

14. 2.2.2 Age
Age also affect how people learn and understand health information. People of
all ages want to know what new diagnose or treatments will mean in their lives and
how to cope with their medical conditions on a day to day basis As people age,
many factor can interfere with health understanding. Older adult for example may
also be struggling with difficult emotions and anxiety in understanding the complex
of health information by doctor (Osborne, 2006).
2.2.3 Disability
When people have disabilities that interfere with seeing, hearing or
remembering, their receptive (taking in) and expressive (giving out) communication
skills are affected (Osborne, 2006). So, it can impact on a person's ability to
understand about the health information well and needs someone to be the
interpreter or family member to explain it back.
2.2.4 Language
Next, the problem based on the language. Here, in healthcare information its
refer to medical terminologies and words choice that used by the doctor. Patients
can easily overlook or understanding the exact meaning. In short, the fluent of
language need to involve with body language and visuals materials as to ensure the
misconception will be overcome.
2.2.5 Culture
Culture provides a context or framework for people to understand concepts.
This problem arises when there have culturally diverse patient. In some cultures,
patients are not the ones to make health decisions. Despite cultural and linguistic
14

15. differences, healthcare information need to convey in ways all of the patients can
understand.
2.2.6 Emotion
In addition to all the other factors that affect health understanding, people's
emotions affect how they learn. It is more difficult to concentrate and comprehend
when feeling scared, sick or in pain (Osborne, 2006).
2.3 Communication through visuals
Research has shown that visual aids can increase a patient's understanding of their
medication regimen(s). Visuals accompanied by oral instructions have increased
patients' recall more than if they are given oral instructions alone (Houts et al., 2001). In
addition, they claimed that by using pictures and text, patients more understand and help
them in recalling information because the formation of the message is encoded in
multiple places in memory.
Visual materials help people remember information they hear. Schwarzberg (2005)
suggested that people remember 10% of what they read, 20% of what they hear, 30% of
what they see and 70% of what they see and hear. He believed that the use of visuals
can help teach about something that can not be easily seen (example, female internal
anatomy). Visuals can illustrate a specific point and demonstrate steps to follow to
complete a task. In fact, visuals are an effective way to present real-life situations.
In order to do all of this, healthcare information must be simply, clearly and
correctly understood, even when the content is difficult or people have trouble in learning
15

16. and understanding information. Visuals can help in interpreting healthcare setting. They
not only are interesting and attractive to look at, but can reinforce the written or spoken
health message. Such example layout and design, pictograph and cartoons, pain scales
and visual tools, maps, genograms and other diagrams and form in interactive way.
(Osborne, 2006).
According to Delp and Jones (1996), the studies of the role of cartoons in
emergency room instructions, they founded that these illustrations are effective way to
convey information. This also agreed by Houts et al. (2001), they believed that the use of
pictographs (refer to simple line drawings that illustrate ideas or actions), shows that
pictographs can be aid of learning and communicating in healthcare information, even
for person who have lower or limited literacy skills.
16

17. Figure 2: The example of layout for healthcare service.
Figure 3: The example of pictograph and cartoons illustration in healthcare service.
Figure 4: The example of pain scales illustration in healthcare service.
17

18. Figure 5: The example of medical genograms symbols in healthcare service.
Visuals not only are interesting and interactive to look at, but more toward the
efficient and effective of the content delivered based on the written and healthcare
information. Health information is not always linear, often it is too complex, but visuals
can help in interrelationships it.
2.4 Conceptual framework
18

19. Problem in
understanding
health information
Visuals can help
interpret the
healthcare
information
Produce the visual
materials that can help
interpret the
healthcare information
Figure 1: Conceptual Framework
The study is focused from visual literacy among patient in the ways of understanding
about healthcare information. The doctor have shared responsibility on communicating
health information to patients (Osborne, 2006). There have major problem that involved
the patient in understanding health information based on literacy, age, disability,
language, culture and emotion. All patients have their right in gain the best explanation
about their healthcare, but the doctor need to use visuals approaches to communicate
the healthcare information. Visuals play an important roles in interpret healthcare
information so for the last step in this study, the researcher will be come out with visuals
materials based on healthcare information as the final product for this study.
2.5 Conclusion
Researches from previous studies have proved that visual literacy have its
contribution toward medical aspect (health literacy). So, the problem in understanding in
healthcare information will be overcome by visuals material and verbal communication
that combined together as to ensure there no misleading and difficulties occurs. More
research are encourage as to promoting visuals literacy in healthcare information in
future.
19

20. CHAPTER 3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction
This chapter explains the research design of this study, the method of data
collection, the population as well as the sample of this study and the data analysis of the
20

21. data. The data that has been analyzed will then be presented in the next chapter.
Visual literacy:
Implementing Visuals in
Communicating Healthcare
Information
Instrumentation
Questionnaire
Document
Analysis
Unstructured
interviews
Findings
Data Analysis
Product
(Visuals Material)
Conclusion & Recommendations
Figure 3.1: Chart of Methodology
3.1 Research Design
This study will be carried out using quantitative approach as well as quantitative
approach as well as qualitative approach; mixed method research. Under the
quantitative approach, the researcher will be conducting a survey research as to identify
why people have trouble in understanding health information. "A cross-sectional survey
is one in which data are collected from selected individuals at a single point in time"
(Fraenkel, Wallen & Hyun, 2012).
Apart from that, according to Fraenkel, Wallen and Hyun (2012), unstructured
interview is an informal interview that is not aimed at obtaining answers to predetermined
21

22. questions but rather to obtain information about where the participants are coming from
and what they have experienced. There are the research designs that will be used to
gather the data is needed for this study.
3.2 Population and Sampling
The target population of this study was a public people. The researcher will be
using simple random sampling because all individuals in the selected population have an
equal and independent chance to be selected for the sample ((Fraenkel, Wallen & Hyun,
2012). Besides of using the public people as the sample for this study, six healthcare
practitioner or doctor from the hospital will be interviewed in order to gain their insights
and experienced in communicating healthcare information to their patients.
3.3 Instrumentation
3.3.1 Questionnaire
The first instrument that will be used in this study is a questionnaire. This
questionnaire form was divided into 3 main parts. There are Part A: Respondent's
Background asked about the respondent's background based on the question
given.Then, Part B: Trouble in Understanding Healthcare Story. This study aims to
identify what are some of the main factors which contribute people having trouble in
understanding healthcare story. Part C: Design of the Visual that want to implement.
This part as to identify about the design and visual that want to implement in
communicating healthcare story. The questionnaire is included in the appendix
22

23. section.
3.3.2 Unstructured interview
The second instrument that will be used in this research is unstructured
interview. Interviews are one of the methods used to gain qualitative information.
The researcher used interviews method as to collect and gain the relevant the
information for this study. The purpose of interviewing the samples is to complement
and extend data from questionnaire as well as to find out where the samples are
coming from and their experiences. The interviews are questions designed to draw
out the subjects’ responses on a topic of interest. These respondents are free to
answer in their own word rather than have to choose from predetermined option, as
in a survey in questionnaire for example. The unstructured open-ended format
permits a greater flexibility and responsiveness to emerging issues for the
participants. The interview questions are included in the appendix section.
3.3.3 Document analysis
This study also uses documents from others research and then a document
analysis are carried out. For the document analysis, the researcher would also get
the additional sources such as books, newspapers, the Internet and so on to
supplement the findings. All the data were analyzed to obtain the complete
information and facts.
Books are one of the important sources used to collect all the information for
this study. There are several books that the researcher has relied on to collect the
23

24. information. The researcher also made use of article from newspapers and journal
to collect the relevant information in order to complete this study. The Internet is also
one of the sources that the researcher has relied on to collect all the related
information for this study.Lots of web pages have been used to collect and gain the
relevant information for this study. Most of the information that gained in the Internet
is reliable and useful for the researcher.
3.4 Data Collection
Before the real data collection process for this study is carried out, the researcher
was sought from Malaysian Ministry of Health and Health Department of Selangor. After
obtaining approval, the researcher requested lists of health practitioner from the
Department of Health in Selangor. Then, the researcher sent a letter to health
practitioner where there would be respondents for the study and the dates that it would
take place. Further, the researcher asked cooperation from public people in the hospital
in distributing the questionnaires and collecting completed questionnaires from them.
For the unstructured interview, six samples will be used as the interviewees. The
interview will be conducted at the clinic and the hospital and will be recorded.
3.5 Data Analysis
After the completed questionnaires have been collected, the resulting data will be
tabulated and entered into a spreadsheet. Then, the data will be summarized using
descriptive statistics. The types of descriptive statistics that will be used to measure the
value of data from the questionnaires. As for the data analysis for the unstructured
interview, the interview transcripts will be read and memos will be written. The data from
24

25. the interview transcripts will be coded and each code indicate a certain pattern and
meaning.
Besides that, the researcher also need to produce the visual material that can help
interpret healthcare information. There are several expenses involved with producing
visual material for healthcare.
Step 1: Planning the visual material by identify the resources needed, define the
target audience, goal and objectives, determine the concepts and messages,
identify the look and design.
Step 2: Writing the visual material by recognize the content, literacy demand,
graphics and interaction.
Step 3: Revising the visual material
Step 4: Formating the visual material
The next chapter will be discussed about the process involved in final product based
on visual materials in communicating healthcare information.
3.6 Conclusion
This chapter has covered the research design, the sample population, the
instrument, the data collection and the data analysis. The next chapter will be discussing
on the findings of this study.
25

26. The Bibliography
Andrus, M.R., & Roth, M.T. (2002). Health Literacy: A review. Pharmacotherapy, 22,
282-302.
Ausburn, L. & Ausburn, F. (1978). Visual Literacy: Background,, Theory and Practice.
PLET, 15 (4), 291-297.
Debes, J. (1968). Some Foundations of Visual Literacy. Audio Visual Instruction, 13,
961-964.
Delp, C. & Jones, J. (1996). Communicating Information to Patients: The Use of Cartoon
Illustration to Improve Comprehension of Instructions, Academic Emergency
Medicine, 3:264-270.
26

27. Fitzgerald, M. (1995). NAA Leaders disagree over the value of cyberspace. International
Federation of Newspaper Publishers Research Association, 128 (12), 48-49.
Frankel, J.R., Wallen, N.E., & Hyun, H.H. (2012). How to Design and Evaluate Research
in Education. Eight Edition. New York: McGraw Hill International Edition.
Giorgis, C., Johnson, N.J., Bonomo, A. Colbert, C., & al, e. (1999). Visual Literacy.
Reading Teacher, 53 (2), 146-153.
Houts, P.S., Witmer, J.T, Egeth, H.E., Loscalzo, M.J., & Zabora, J.R. (2001). Using
pictographs to enhance recall of spoken medical illustrations. Patient Education and
Counseling, 43, 231-242.
Osborne H. (2005). Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your
Health Message. United States: Jones and Bartlett Publishers
Osborne H. (2006). Health Literacy: How Visuals Can Help Tell the Healthcare Story.
Journal of Visual Communication in Medicine, Vol.29, No.1, pp 28-32.
Rappaport, T.S. (2002). Wireless Communication Principles and Practice. Second
Edition. United States: Person Education
Richard Knox. (2012). The Fading Art of The Physical Exam. Unpublished doctoral
dissertation, Emory University: United States
Schwartzberg J.G. (2005). Understanding Health Literacy: Implications for Medicine and
Public Health. Chicago: AMA Press.
Smaldino, S.E., Lowther, D.L., & Russell, J.D. (2012). Instructional technology and
media for learning (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Strunk W.Jr (1979). The Elements of Style. New York: MacMilan.
Thompson T.L. (2003). Handbook of Health Communication. New Jersey: Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates.
Williams, L.V. (1983). A Guide to Right Brain/ Left Brain Education: Teaching with the
Two
Sided Mind. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
Health Literacy. Retrieved October 30,2013 from
http://www.healthypeople.gov
Visual Literacy. Retrieved November 29,2013 from
http://www.uniteforsight.org/visual-literacy/module3#_ftnref1
The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, 7th Edition. (2005)
American Medical Association Foundation (2003)
27

28. 28

29. APPENDICES
Visual Literacy: Implementing Visuals in Communicating Healthcare Information
Universiti Teknologi MARA, SHAH ALAM
This questionnaire form was divided into 3 main parts. There are:
Part A: Respondent's Background
This part asked about the respondent's background based on the question given.
Part B: Trouble in Understanding Healthcare Story
This study aims to identify what are some of the main factors which contribute people
having trouble in understanding healthcare story.
Part C: Design of the Visual that want to implement
This study also want to identify about the design and visual that want to implement in
communicating healthcare story.
The information collected will be kept confidential and will only be used by the researcher
for analyzing this research only.
29
Thank you for your valuable time and cooperation.

30. PART A: RESPONDENT'S BACKGROUND
Part A: Respondent's Background
Please answer all questions and tick (√) in the appropriate box.
1. Gender
Male
Female
2. Age
Below 18 years old
19 - 29 years old
30 - 39 years old
40 - 49 years old
50 - 59 years old
60 years old and above
3. What is your ethnic group?
Malay
Chinese
Indian
Others:___________
4. How often you meet your doctor for healthcare service?
Always
Sometimes Never
5. Do you satisfied after hear the explanation about your healthcare information from
your doctor?
Yes
No
PART B: To identify why people have trouble when understanding healthcare story.
For question, please indicate the extent to which you agree with these statements by using
circle (o) or tick (√) the most appropriate answer.
(1- strongly disagree, 2- disagree, 3- agree, 4- strongly agree)
1.
a.
b.
c.
Literacy
I always understand health information in written formats
I do not understand if all the health information using texts,
number and chart.
I prefer the health information using more visual than texts
2.
Verbal Communication / Language
30
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
1
2
3
4

31. a.
b.
c.
3.
a.
b.
c.
4
a
b
c
I prefer my doctor explain about health information in slowly
and using simple term.
I prefer when my doctor explain things in clear by using plain
language.
I understand if my doctor explain using too many statistic
Age
I prefer the approaches of explanation health information is
divided into age group.
I always confuse and misleading about the healthcare
information that the doctor explained to me
I need someone to help me to explain back the healthcare
information after see the doctor.
Emotion
I feel very difficult to concentrate when the doctor
communicate about the healthcare information to me
I am not very sure about the healthcare information because
i anxiety.
I can control my emotion when hear the explanation from the
doctor
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2
3
4
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2
3
4
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2
3
4
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2
3
4
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2
3
4
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4
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4
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4
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6. What is your learning style?
Visual learner
Auditory learner
Kinesthetic learner
Mixed leaner
PART C: To identify the design of visual that want to implement in communicating
healthcare information.
For question, please indicate the extent to which you agree with these statements by using
circle (o) or tick (√) the most appropriate answer.
1. Which is the best following show about medication images?
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32. A
B
Reason of your answer:_____________________________________________________
2. Which is the best following show about the body part (heart and brain)?
A
B
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33. Reason of your answer:_____________________________________________________
3. Which is the best following show about "do not take this dairy product"?
A
B
Reason of your answer:_____________________________________________________
4. Based on the image below, I become more understand about the healthcare
information.
Yes
No
Please give your reason if you say YES or NO.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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34. 5. Based on the pictograph (image) show below, I become more understand about the
medication prescription.
Yes
No
Please give your reason if you say YES or NO.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Unstructured Interview
1. What is your opinion based on health literacy?
2. Do you agreed if the visuals material implement in communicating healthcare
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35. information? Why?
3. Do you have any problem when communicating about healthcare information to your
patients?
4. If yes, what is your approach to overcome the problem?
5. What is your suggestion if visual literacy implementing in communicating healthcare
information?
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