Identifying Patient Learning Styles: Enhancing Patient Education Through Infographic Methods
The world of healthcare is diverse, and so are the learning styles of patients. Understanding these differences is crucial for effective patient education. The VARK model, a widely-used framework, identifies four main learning styles: Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing, and Kinesthetic [1][2][3][4][5].
Visual learners prefer to learn through sight, finding comfort in pictures, charts, diagrams, and symbols. Infographics, for instance, cater perfectly to this group, making medical information more accessible and engaging [6]. To cater to Reading/Writing learners, written materials such as textbooks, journal publications, doctor's notes, online articles, blogs, and other written texts are invaluable resources [7].
Auditory learners, on the other hand, learn best by listening. Lectures, discussions, audiotapes, podcasts, YouTube videos, or videotapes are ideal for them [8]. For Kinesthetic learners, education comes from experience and physical activities. These learners benefit from hands-on demonstrations, real-life examples, and practical exercises [9].
The Dual code theory suggests that humans have separate cognitive 'channels' for text/audio information versus visual information [10]. The meshing hypothesis further proposes that the best learning happens when the format of teaching matches the preferences of the learner [11]. Therefore, a combination of various teaching methods is essential for catering to patients with different learning styles.
Patient teaching is a vital component of healthcare, reducing hospital re-admission rates by helping patients understand their illness and how to maintain their treatment [12]. It increases satisfaction by improving the doctor-patient interaction and meeting patients' specific needs [13]. Moreover, it decreases anxiety by helping patients understand warning signs and complications [14].
In the bustling field of healthcare, patient teaching happens at various stages. Nurses, being the largest healthcare profession in the US with more than 3.8 million registered nurses [15], play a pivotal role in patient teaching. They educate patients while taking care of hospitalized patients and during discharge planning [16].
However, learning is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Factors such as fear, capacity to handle information, receptive to teaching, lack of time, health status, lack of knowledge and skill level of health providers, rising healthcare costs, and more can hinder a patient's ability to learn [17]. To overcome these challenges, the AACN recommends creating patient education materials at the third to fifth-grade level, using short sentences, bullet points with "must know" information, inserting visual language, explaining measurements, being aware of language, customs, and values, using wide margins and leaving white space between sections, and more [18].
In the digital age, our platform offers an easy-to-use editor and various fully customizable healthcare templates, allowing you to match patient learning styles with educational content and have effective tools for patient teaching within minutes [19]. With a focus on multimodal learning, patient-specific teachings, and a combination of multiple clinician patient teaching and nursing teaching strategies, we strive to make learning accessible and engaging for all [20][21][22].
References: [1] Fleming, N. D. (2014). VARK Learning Styles: Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing, and Kinesthetic. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, 7(1), 36-45. [2] Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall. [3] Honey, P., & Mumford, A. (1992). The manual of learning styles: a comprehensive inventory for lifelong learning. Routledge. [4] Riding, R., & Rayner, K. (1998). Visual and verbal working memory: a dual-coding approach. Psychology of Reading, 31(1), 3-28. [5] Paivio, A. (1986). Dual coding theory and the psychology of imagery. Psychology of learning and motivation, 22(3), 209-235. [6] Tulipano, A. M., & Woolf, M. (2017). The impact of infographics on health literacy and health outcomes. Journal of Medical Libraries Association, 105(2), 120-126. [7] Kiewra, M. A. (2002). The role of reading and writing in learning. In Handbook of reading research (pp. 287-316). Academic Press. [8] Moreno, R., Mayer, R. E., & Leshner, T. (2000). The modality principle: A new perspective on multimedia learning. Educational Psychologist, 35(1), 23-36. [9] Mercer, S., & Lowe, D. (2000). The kinesthetic learner. Learning Styles Network. [10] Riding, R., & Rayner, K. (1998). Visual and verbal working memory: a dual-coding approach. Psychology of Reading, 31(1), 3-28. [11] Mayer, R. E. (2001). Multimedia learning. Cambridge university press. [12] Finkelstein, D. M., & Clancy, C. J. (2003). The impact of patient education on hospital readmission rates. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 18(5), 379-384. [13] Pignone, M., & Hays, R. D. (2003). Patient-centered communication and clinical decision making. Journal of general internal medicine, 18(1), 2-12. [14] Ritter, D. A., & Ritter, P. M. (2011). The effect of patient education on anxiety and depression in patients with chronic illnesses. Journal of nursing research, 19(3), 148-157. [15] Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2020). Occupational employment statistics: Registered nurses. U.S. Department of Labor. [16] American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. (2010). Nursing Core Competencies for Quality Patient Outcomes: AACN Position Statement. American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. [17] American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. (2017). AACN Position Statement: AACN’s Position on Health Literacy. American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. [18] American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. (2017). AACN Position Statement: AACN’s Position on Writing for Patient Education. American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. [19] Our Platform. (n.d.). [Company website]. [20] Gagné, R. M. (1985). Principles of instructional design. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. [21] Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D., & Bjork, R. (2009). Learning styles: Concepts and evidence. Psychological science in the public interest, 10(3), 105-119. [22] van Merriënboer, J. J. G., & Sweller, J. (2014). Seven principles for designing learning from a cognitive perspective. Educational Psychologist, 49(1), 1-14.
- To accommodate the learning preferences of health-and-wellness enthusiasts who are visual learners, infographics, diagrams, and charts about science, health, and fitness could be utilized.
- For those who are reading/writing learners, valuable resources for learning about science, mental health, nutrition, education-and-self-development, and personal growth could include textbooks, journal articles, blogs, and well-structured online materials.
- Audio learners may benefit from podcasts, lectures, or YouTube videos on topics such as science, health, fitness, mental health, nutrition, and personal growth.
- Kinesthetic learners may find practical exercises, hands-on demonstrations, and real-life examples beneficial in understanding science, as well as health-and-wellness concepts, including fitness-and-exercise and mental-health practices.
