{"id":106,"date":"2025-12-15T18:11:15","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T18:11:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bostonuniversity.news\/healthcarevisuals\/?page_id=106"},"modified":"2025-12-15T20:11:30","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T20:11:30","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bostonuniversity.news\/healthcarevisuals\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About the Project"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Page Title” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#19415f” header_2_text_color=”#19415f” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

About the Project<\/h2>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Description” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_enable_color=”off” custom_padding=”||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n

Using Visuals to Combat Language Barriers in Mental Health Care<\/h3>\n

Drawing on Information Graphics and Graphic Medicine to Support Mental Health of Patients with Limited English Proficiency<\/strong>
Researcher: Jessica Lee, Boston University<\/strong><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Problem” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#e2ecd8″ custom_padding=”30px|30px|30px|30px|false|false” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Statement of the Problem<\/h3>\n

Largest immigrant population in the United States<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Critical issue of language barriers in the medical field, especially with mental health care<\/li>\n
  • ~22 million people with limited English proficiency (LEP) in the U.S., 47.8 million foreign-born people, 14.3% total U.S. population (Moslimani and Passel)<\/li>\n
  • Worse clinical outcomes than native-born population due to language barriers, though immigrants and refugees often deal with more stressors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Common concerns about approaching and receiving mental health support<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Fear of misunderstandings, lack of interpreters, and possibility of inadequate care and human error (Pandey et al.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

       <\/p>\n

      [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Background” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#fffcea” custom_padding=”30px|30px|30px|30px|false|false” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

      Background<\/h3>\n

      Visual aids<\/p>\n

        \n
      • Draw from information graphics (infographics) and graphic medicine to use as a practical knowledge translation (KT) tool<\/li>\n
      • Improve mental health outcomes for people with LEP<\/li>\n
      • Bridge the gap in relaying medical language and information between providers and patients<\/li>\n
      • Captivate people effectively \u2192<\/span> process visual information easier (Barlow et al.)<\/li>\n
      • Improve information retention<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Medical Infographics<\/p>\n

          \n
        • Increase health knowledge by sharing evidence (McSween-Cadieux et al.)<\/li>\n
        • Enhance understanding with concise, representative communication of complex medical jargon (McCrorie et al.)<\/li>\n
        • Present factual, logistical content<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Graphic Medicine<\/p>\n

            \n
          • Known also as \u201cMedical Comics\u201d or \u201cGraphic Narrative Medicine\u201d<\/li>\n
          • Offers multiple perspectives of medical-related experiences, such as those of patients, families, and healthcare workers<\/li>\n
          • Tells stories visually with panels, drawings, and words<\/li>\n
          • Works to educate in healthcare environments and break stereotypes (Farthing and Priego)<\/li>\n
          • Provides a relatable community, especially in support of mental health, with interactions depicted through characters drawn in panels (Farthing and Priego)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

             <\/p>\n

            [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Methods” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#edf7f9″ custom_padding=”30px|30px|30px|30px|false|false” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

            Methods<\/h3>\n

            Goal<\/p>\n

              \n
            • Produce and distribute visual aids in support of mental health care for people with LEP<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Creation<\/p>\n

                \n
              • Relay information about one specific mental health condition for each product to avoid confusion<\/li>\n
              • Add comic-style graphics in an infographic template<\/li>\n
              • Include a short strip of comic panels to encourage patients to receive necessary therapies and treatments by depicting a community where others struggle with the same issues<\/li>\n
              • Craft sensitively, carefully, and knowledgeably<\/li>\n
              • Recognize cultural stigmas against mental illnesses and know the audience<\/li>\n
              • Take ample time to research the medical conditions properly and design the graphics<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                Dissemination and Incorporation<\/p>\n

                  \n
                • Print at hospitals and clinics<\/li>\n
                • Establish a website with downloadable versions at no cost, including a monitored comment section for people to post suggestions or discuss topics with others<\/li>\n
                • Use social networks (Hernandez-Sanchez et al.) and post on public forums<\/li>\n
                • Encourage healthcare providers to use these resources with patients<\/li>\n
                • Allow for better communication and more direct conversations to develop a safe, therapeutic relationship<\/li>\n
                • Receive continuous feedback through modes such as surveys<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  Cautions<\/p>\n

                    \n
                  • Do not oversimplify (Barlow et al.)<\/li>\n
                  • Indicate clearly that these visual aids are supplementary material when providing care<\/li>\n
                  • Create a thorough plan for the entire process<\/li>\n
                  • Avoid sharing incorrect information or not being able to share with others effectively<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                     <\/p>\n

                    [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Conclusion” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#dae2f0″ custom_padding=”30px|30px|30px|30px|false|false” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

                    Conclusion<\/h3>\n

                    Greater vulnerability of immigrants to psychiatric illnesses than native-born Americans<\/p>\n

                      \n
                    • Crucial for comfortability and accessibility to mental health support as an option for all<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                      Excellent potential in creating visual aids that are influenced by medical infographics and graphic medicine<\/p>\n

                        \n
                      • Useful for educating patients with LEP and helping them fully understand their mental health conditions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                         <\/p>\n

                        [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                        About the ProjectUsing Visuals to Combat Language Barriers in Mental Health Care Drawing on Information Graphics and Graphic Medicine to Support Mental Health of Patients with Limited English ProficiencyResearcher: Jessica Lee, Boston UniversityStatement of the Problem Largest immigrant population in the United States Critical issue of language barriers in the medical field, especially with mental […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-106","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bostonuniversity.news\/healthcarevisuals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/106","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bostonuniversity.news\/healthcarevisuals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bostonuniversity.news\/healthcarevisuals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bostonuniversity.news\/healthcarevisuals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bostonuniversity.news\/healthcarevisuals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=106"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/bostonuniversity.news\/healthcarevisuals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/106\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":172,"href":"https:\/\/bostonuniversity.news\/healthcarevisuals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/106\/revisions\/172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bostonuniversity.news\/healthcarevisuals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=106"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}