To explore how the addition of a medical illustration and its style affected information comprehension, perception of educational material and illness beliefs.
204 people recruited in a supermarket were randomised to read one of the four leaflets about gout and fill out a questionnaire. Three leaflets had a picture showing gout in the form of a cartoon, an anatomical drawing or a computed tomography scan (CT). The control leaflet did not contain images.
Seeing an illustrated leaflet helped correctly identify treatment for gout X
The results can help guide the use of images in gout education material.
Pictures aid the understanding of health information and increase the visual appeal of materials. While simpler illustrations convey information more effectively, people prefer more detailed anatomical images; CT scans offer no benefits over simpler images.