Hi all,

An excellent article about the use of visuals is in the African Journal of 
AIDs Research, "Understanding visuals in HIV/AIDS education in South Africa: 
difference between literate and non-literate audiences" by Carstens A, Maes 
A, and Gangla-Birir L. 2006, 5(3): 221-232.

The authors researched how people understand human images as well as 
abstract symbols (such as speech and thought balloons and purely 
mathematical symbols). Here is a statement from their results: "First, for 
literate and low-literate respondents, the recognition level decreased as 
the elements became less familiar and less related to their own embodied 
experiences: humans were more easily recognized that non-human objects and 
abstracts objects, respectively.  Second, the difference between literate 
and low-literate participants increased as the elements became more 
abstract, and less embodied."

Here's a link to that issue of the Journal. I followed their directions to 
order the article and it arrived a few days later by email, 
http://www.ajol.info/viewissue.php?jid=46&id=4216&ab=0

Health literacy solutions are truly international!
~Helen

Helen Osborne, M.Ed., OTR/L
Health Literacy Consulting & Health Literacy Month
www.healthliteracy.com & www.healthliteracymonth.org
helen at healthliteracy.com & 508-653-1199
Speaker, Author, Plain Language Writer & Editor