Construction and validation of Comics at children with acute lymphocytic leukemia

Abstract

Introduction Cancer has an impact on the lives of children and their families. Comics can be a strategy to strengthen the bond and communication between professional/patient/family. Objective To develop and validate an instructional/educational material, in the format of Comics, aimed at children hospitalized with acute lymphocytic leukemia. Methodology Methodological study developed in nine stages: preparation of the research project; content definition and selection; language adaptation; inclusion of illustrations; construction of a pilot material; validation of the material; layout; final printing and availability. Validation took place with 10 specialists between March and May 2022, using the Health Education Content Validation Instrument. Results 5 Comics were created, with 6 main characters, requiring 63 hours of work. They were divided by themes (gastrointestinal disorders; hemorrhagic cystitis; problems related to self-esteem and self-image; risk of infection and bone pain) that obtained a satisfactory global Content Validity Index between 0.78 and 0.87. Conclusions and implications for practice Comics can be used as an attractive and reliable source of information about the disease, supporting information during hospitalization and preparation for discharge.