Infographics in Public Health

Andrew HarrisEpidemiologist, HKPR District Health Unit

Board of Health Presentation20 November 2014

Dissemination of Public Health Information

• Annual Reports • Technical Reports• Presentations

Limitations

• Technical Reports– Bulky– Wordy – Lengthy

• Under-utilized• Filler loaded• Lost in translation

Descriptive Report

Just the Facts• Seasonal influenza is a serious respiratory illness

caused by influenza viruses and occurs in Canada every year, generally during late fall and the winter months.

• 10 to 20% of the population becomes infected with influenza each year

– 5-10% in adults

– 20-30% in children

• 20,000 hospitalizations related to influenza may occur

• 4,000 Canadians may die from pneumonia related to influenza

Public Health Ontario’sOntario Health Profile

Benefits

• Get noticed– Visually appealing– Popular– Key messages

conveyed quickly

Benefits

• Simple and Succinct– Technical reports remain

available

Benefits

• Easier to understand– Increased likelihood of

being used• increased viewings vs

reports– Pictures can convey

messages more than words

• Broader distribution– Easily faxed, posted at health

centers, doctors’ offices– Easy to interpret

Benefits

• Increase awareness of Health Unit priorities and initiatives

Benefits

Questions ?