Patient Stories: Animation and Visual Storytelling for the Communication of Complex Genomic Concepts to Reduce Cultural and Language Barriers

Abstract

Medical animations are widely used in patient education; however, their didactic presentation can limit effective engagement and memory retention. Illustrated patient stories, such as comics and video games, have been proven effective in evoking empathy and fostering greater understanding for patients suffering from diseases. Therefore, animated patient stories could be a valuable tool for clinicians to enhance the quality of care and deepen their understanding of a disease from the patient’s perspective.

Despite the importance of cultural representation in medical communication, patient education resources tailored to culturally specific communities remain limited. This paper will explore opportunities to integrate diverse cultural aspects into such animations. The research team, composed of animators and clinicians, will discuss a multidisciplinary project that explores how animation can transcend the boundaries of entertainment in communicating genetics and hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes to specific target audiences. The aim is to investigate and prototype a process to design animation narratives for this audience. Additionally, the paper will discuss how visual storytelling choices could improve individuals’ decision-making regarding their and their family’s increased risk of cancer. We hypothesise that sharing these animations with non-carriers can raise public awareness of genetic conditions and enhance genetic literacy, correcting myths and misconceptions about genetic predisposition that are prevalent in popular media.

Through an iterative process, two culturally tailored animations were developed: one with a linear narrative that illustrates the story in chronological order and another with a dramatic narrative structure featuring a non-linear ordering of story events. After viewing the animations, a pre-post, mixed-method survey of 260 participants revealed increased interest and knowledge of genetics. Notably, 61.2% preferred the dramatic narrative for its emotional impact, and 98.9% were open to receiving genetic education through animations featuring characters of diverse ethnicities.

This study advances research on culturally sensitive visual storytelling in an Asian population, demonstrating its potential to create accessible, educational, and engaging resources that empower diverse audiences to navigate their genetic health journey.