The Impact of Visual Communication in COVID-19’s Prevention and Risk Mitigation

Saraiva, Inês; Ferreira, Cristina

This study aims to analyse the visual and graphical elements used in health communication during the coronavirus pandemic, with the purpose of identifying its characteristics at a global level and understanding the impact and efficacy of the materials in COVID-19 prevention and risk mitigation. A total of 264 materials have been examined and submitted to a coding system with variables regarding the message and graphic representations in the information presented about coronavirus by the health departments and ministries of ten countries. The results show that health communication should walk alongside visual communication, particularly when communicating risks during public health emergencies once that materials combining both text and pictures have been highlighted as the greatest in improving understanding and comprehension.