Why don’t you (g)doodle it?: Making health services research more accessible and engaging.

Author: Stefanie Doebl – Epidemiology Group, Institute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom

Health services research teams investigate how best to deliver healthcare and improve people’s wellbeing. This often complex, interdisciplinary research can be challenging to communicate to patients, healthcare workers and policy makers alike. Using a creative approach such as doodles (simple drawings) can be one successful communication strategy.

In this presentation, the speaker shares her experiences of using self-created doodles to communicate her research about a life-changing, chronic pain condition to different audiences. An overview is provided about the reasons for using the approach as well as its benefits and challenges. Examples from two recent public engagement activities (a PowerPoint presentation in a pub and an interactive talk while standing on a raised platform in an outdoor public space) are included. Feedback from several audience members accompany the examples. Further, the speaker suggests that doodles can be used to communicate scientific findings beyond the field of health services research.

Doodles offer a unique opportunity for opening a conversation about research and its connection to people’s lives. The approach is relatively easy to learn for researchers, while audiences are able to access science in a more engaging and understandable way. It also promises to be more fun for everyone.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Insight talk
Theme: Transformation