Promoting Latino self-management through use of information visualizations: A case study in New York City

Abstract

Social determinants of health, including low health literacy and limited English proficiency, and other factors place Latinos at high risk for health disparities related to chronic diseases. Such diseases require self-management skills as well as medical management. Well-designed visualizations are suitable for visualizing data related to self-management because they can help narrow the comprehension gap between individuals with low and high levels of health literacy by leveraging existing visual analysis skills while reducing the demand on literacy and numeracy competencies. Use of information visualizations also supports a common visual representation across languages to address limited English proficiency. This report illustrates the use of information visualizations for communication related to self-management through research-based case examples and summarizes key lessons from studies with Latinos in New York City.

Telehealth After Stroke Care Pilot Randomized Trial of Home Blood Pressure Telemonitoring in an Underserved Setting

“…BP infographics, developed in English and Spanish through iterative participatory design sessions with community members, were tailored to blood pressure at the time of discharge and shared on screen during the first telehealth visit with primary care to drive a motivational interview regarding health behaviors 23 ( Figure S2 ).…”

“…As visually communicated health information, tailored infographics can make medical information more accessible among patients with varying levels of health literacy and enhance patients’ decision-making capabilities. 11 , 12 The scientific premise is that building knowledge can lead to improvement in patient-reported outcomes. 13 Telemedicine has gained a role in access to care since the pandemic ensued, but apparent disparities among vulnerable populations need to be addressed to provide equitable care.…”

Children's Oncology Group's 2023 blueprint for research: Diversity and health disparities

“…Patient‐facing documents should be patient‐centered, understandable, and accessible. Modes of information sharing, such as infographics or interactive visualizations, may be effective to increase engagement with historically underserved populations, including those with low health literacy 50,51 . The barriers to participation become increasingly complex as therapies become less widely distributed such as for novel agents in the early‐phase clinical trial setting, as well as highly technical and innovative therapies such as MIBG, immunotherapy, and cellular therapy.…”

“…Modes of information sharing, such as infographics or interactive visualizations, may be effective to increase engagement with historically underserved populations, including those with low health literacy. 50,51 The barriers to participation become increasingly complex as therapies become less widely distributed such as for novel agents in the early-phase clinical trial setting, as well as highly technical and innovative therapies such as MIBG, immunotherapy, and cellular therapy. To identify true disparities, it is necessary to evaluate study participation in the context of broader pediatric oncology populations treated at COG institutions, as well as those treated outside of COG institutions.…”

Can scientists use simple infographics to convince? Effects of the “flatten the curve” charts on perceptions of and behavioral intentions toward social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…to help patients comprehend the risks and benefits associated with medical treatments (see Garcia-Retamero and Cokely, 2017 for a review). Decades of research on health literacy have emphasized the importance of using information visualizations to enhance the public's comprehension of medical facts by leveraging existing visual analysis skills while reducing the demand on literacy and numeracy competencies (Bakken et al, 2020, Garcia-Retamero & Cokely, 2017.…”