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New papers on Graphic Medicine.

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This week sees the publication of two new important papers on Graphic Medicine. Here are direct links to the online papers.

The first is published with open access on the excellent Comics Grid website:

‘Graphic Medicine’ as a Mental Health Information Resource: Insights from Comics Producers

Authors: Anthony Farthing ,Ernesto Priego

Abstract

Recent literature suggests that a growing number of comics are being published on health-related topics, including aspects of mental health and social care (Williams 2012; Czerwiec et al 2015) and that comics are increasingly being used in higher education settings as information resources.

This article offers insights from comics creators and disseminators and explores the wider context of comics production and distribution (with a focus on ‘Graphic Medicine’ or health-related comics) as part of a larger examination of the interface between these documents and potential academic audiences. Original data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with 15 participants actively involved in comics creation and production. Elements of domain analysis (Hjørland 2002) were used to obtain insights into attitudes to the creation, dissemination and use of mental health-related comics.

Though potentially useful comics material is being produced in the mental health domain, significant challenges remain for producers in enabling their work to be accessed within higher education settings. This paper suggests that comics producers need to make a concerted effort to reach academia, and academia – including information professionals – need to embrace new types of material to enhance teaching.

 

The second is published in the Journal of Comics and Graphic Novels, in print and online,  by Taylor and Francis. You will need academic access to see the whole paper online.

Comics in public health: the sociocultural and cognitive influence of narrative on health behaviours

Author: Sarah Dobbins

Abstract

In health communication, comics are an unlikely but viable channel. Through the psychological and cognitive effects of embodiment and narrative, the translation of lived experiences into stories can powerfully instruct. In this article I discuss comics as a crucial tool for public health communication, given their ability to reflect cultural norms and to resonate within specific social contexts. My discussion draws on theories of cognition, narratology, comic scholarship and the social cognitive theory of health. I also narrate an autography of two projects that use comics to educate underserved communities about diabetes management. In this article I suggest that comics should be used in public health to (1) value the audience as non-experts and (2) communicate narratives of lived experience. Both can positively impact health behaviours.

 

Featured image: ‘No wonder my back hurts’ (Barker, M. 2013: 34). © Meg-John Barker 2013.

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