Visual narratives have the potential to engage public audiences and patients in healthcare settings in ways that improve understanding, retention, confidence, and behavioral intentions. Humanized and story-driven visuals have emerged as a leading format used by science and health communicators and other influencers online. Visual narratives in various multimedia formats have also gained traction as tools for science and health communication, such as in graphic medicine and comics for patient populations. However, we still have much to learn about the impact of visual narratives for different attitudinal and behavioral outcomes among different audiences, as well as how audience-relevant visual narratives are best created with audience involvement.
For this Research Topic, we invite researchers and practitioners to submit research articles or case studies related to visual narratives for science and health communication. This includes accounts of visual narrative impacts and outcomes as well as approaches to creating more culturally relevant, audience-specific and inclusive visual narratives on science and health topics. We are particularly interested in:
• impacts of audience-tailored visual narratives on science and health literacy and behavioral outcomes
• visual narratives tailored for underserved populations
• impacts of visual narratives as compared to alternative ways of framing information
• impacts of different formats of visual narratives (e.g., infographic, comics, storybooks, videos, social media “stories” or other innovative formats)
• differential impacts of different types of stories and different types of visuals
• the development of new methodology for creating inclusive and reflexive visual narratives
• approaches or ways of fostering successful collaboration with individuals, communities, and creatives in the creation of visual narratives for science and health communication.
We strongly encourage submissions that include the participation of audience members, patients experts, patient associations, and/or community members audiences. Both qualitative and quantitative research approaches are welcome, but all applications of visual narratives among target audiences should be clearly evidence-based from inception.
Visual narratives have the potential to engage public audiences and patients in healthcare settings in ways that improve understanding, retention, confidence, and behavioral intentions. Humanized and story-driven visuals have emerged as a leading format used by science and health communicators and other influencers online. Visual narratives in various multimedia formats have also gained traction as tools for science and health communication, such as in graphic medicine and comics for patient populations. However, we still have much to learn about the impact of visual narratives for different attitudinal and behavioral outcomes among different audiences, as well as how audience-relevant visual narratives are best created with audience involvement.
For this Research Topic, we invite researchers and practitioners to submit research articles or case studies related to visual narratives for science and health communication. This includes accounts of visual narrative impacts and outcomes as well as approaches to creating more culturally relevant, audience-specific and inclusive visual narratives on science and health topics. We are particularly interested in:
• impacts of audience-tailored visual narratives on science and health literacy and behavioral outcomes
• visual narratives tailored for underserved populations
• impacts of visual narratives as compared to alternative ways of framing information
• impacts of different formats of visual narratives (e.g., infographic, comics, storybooks, videos, social media “stories” or other innovative formats)
• differential impacts of different types of stories and different types of visuals
• the development of new methodology for creating inclusive and reflexive visual narratives
• approaches or ways of fostering successful collaboration with individuals, communities, and creatives in the creation of visual narratives for science and health communication.
We strongly encourage submissions that include the participation of audience members, patients experts, patient associations, and/or community members audiences. Both qualitative and quantitative research approaches are welcome, but all applications of visual narratives among target audiences should be clearly evidence-based from inception.
