Infographics as a tool for improving the medical literacy of the population in relation to critical health conditions

Abstract

The number and severity of complications in acute appendicitis correlate with late access to medical care, which, in turn, directly depends on the level of medical literacy of the population. Goal. A comparative analysis of the results of the impact of the developed infographic technology on improving the level of medical literacy of the population in relation to critical conditions that threaten life and health using the example of acute appendicitis. Material and methods. An open single-center prospective controlled sociological survey in the form of a questionnaire included 350 respondents divided into two groups identical in age and gender. The main group included 177 respondents who were exposed to the developed infographic tools. The comparison group consisted of 173 respondents who were not exposed to infographics. The effectiveness of the impact was assessed using a fragment of the adapted HLS19-Q22-RU questionnaire. Results. The results of the comparative analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in correct answers in the group exposed to infographics (the main group), about lack of appetite (question No.4) by 20.3% (χ2=17,83; р0,05) and the presence of intestinal disorders in acute appendicitis (question No.5) by 14.9% (χ2=9,62; р0,05).This fact significantly influenced an increase in the proportion of respondents in the main group (question No.8) who will seek medical help on the first day of the disease by 12.7% (χ2=6,45; р0,05), and a decrease in the proportion of those who find it difficult to answer by 7.8% (χ2=4,77; р0,05). Conclusion. The problem of late hospitalization for acute appendicitis cannot be solved within the surgical community and requires an integrated approach at the state administrative level. The technology developed and put into practice to improve the medical literacy of the population using infographic materials is effective and easily reproducible. A comparative analysis of the results of the study demonstrated the effectiveness of the influence of the developed infographic technology on the growth of medical literacy of the population in relation to critical conditions that threaten life and health, using the example of acute appendicitis.