DAISI (Digital Animation in Service Improvement): Dissemination of a Novel Animation to Address Health Literacy Barriers to Health Messaging in Health and Maternity Care
Background
Limited health literacy can make it difficult for people to find, understand and use health information and services. People with low health literacy are more likely to experience poorer health outcomes, including serious complications during pregnancy and after birth such as sepsis, gestational diabetes complications and stillbirth. Many people report receiving large amounts of written information that can be difficult to understand or apply,
particularly when services are busy or not tailored to individual needs. Digital animations have been shown to help people understand, remember and act on important health messages. DAISI (Digital Animation in Service Improvement) was developed to address these challenges by providing simple, culturally appropriate health information through short animated videos available in multiple languages.
Aims and Objectives
The aim of DAISI is to increase access to clear, culturally appropriate health information by embedding digital animations within health and maternity services.
The project objectives are to:
- Improve understanding of important health messages among people with low health literacy.
- Reduce barriers created by language differences, literacy challenges and cultural factors.
- Support people to recognise symptoms, access timely healthcare and make informed decisions about their health.
- Increase uptake of preventative healthcare, including vaccinations and cancer screening programmes.
- Work with health and community organisations to embed DAISI resources into routine care pathways and community settings.
Methods
DAISI consists of a series of short digital animations that communicate key health messages using plain spoken language, subtitles, culturally appropriate imagery and translations into multiple languages. The animations can be viewed on mobile phones and are hosted on a dedicated project website.
The animations have been developed through extensive co-production involving women with health literacy challenges, public contributors and people from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Women have helped identify priority topics, shape the content and ensure cultural appropriateness. The animations have been reviewed by migrant women from 18 different countries and supported by patient and public involvement throughout development.
Current DAISI topics include:
- Sepsis in the postnatal period
- Gestational diabetes
- Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy
- Stillbirth awareness
- Perinatal mental health
- Childhood vaccination
- Breast screening
- Bowel screening
The project now focuses on dissemination and implementation, exploring how DAISI can be embedded across maternity services, health visiting services, general practice, NHS screening programmes and community settings.
Further Information
DAISI aligns with the NIHR ARC Yorkshire & Humber Healthy Families theme and has a strong implementation focus.
Previous research has shown that women and healthcare professionals find the DAISI animations acceptable, easy to use and helpful in understanding and remembering key health messages. Evidence suggests digital animations can support behaviour change and improve access to healthcare information.
Potential impacts include:
- Improved access to healthcare information for people with low health literacy.
- Reduced health inequalities, particularly among people facing language barriers, learning disabilities or socioeconomic disadvantage.
- Increased uptake of vaccinations and cancer screening.
- Earlier recognition of serious health conditions such as sepsis and perinatal mental health problems.
- Greater consistency of health messaging and potential savings in NHS staff time.