Cimaza Virology Comics

This entertainment-education revolves around colourful comics that are meant tell an engaging story while being fact-filled as they address vaccine myths. The narrative of good versus evil features a team of virologists battling the anti-vaccine movement lest the viruses win out; the comic shows the consequences of a failure to vaccinate in the form of a child's anger at his parents when he comes down with the mumps. Click here to read the comics; the full book "The Amazing Adventures of the Viruses: Volume-1; Vaccines" is also available for purchase.

In a 2017 research project, organisers donated 54 hard copies of Cimaza comics to outreach clinics in a rural Oregon, United States (US) area with a majority of no- to low-literacy population - age group 55 years old (health sector, group A). They also donated 30 hard copies of the comics to a school in the Middle East (school group - class of 11-year-olds, group B) and 170 free kindle digital copies to families (mainly US but also in the United Kingdom (UK), Netherlands, Italy, and Australia - age group 38 years (families, group C). Ten pages of the comics were also available for free online for a 90-day period - age group 34 years old (social media, group D). All of these groups also watched video animations. They were then asked to review short text essays published on the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) websites containing fact sheets regarding the viruses mentioned in the comics. The researchers then conducted a survey to compare these groups' overall, understanding and engagement.

Results:

• Group A respondents had an immediate interest and engagement. More than half of these interested participants were grandparents who found the artwork and the presentation as good as in their early days when comics were "meaningful". This group displayed low interest in newsletters, brochures, and infographics that contained the same info as the comics. The comics were meaningful and interesting to this group, the animated videos less so.
• In group B, students really enjoyed the colourful cartoon animations about viruses and viral diseases but were less interested in the comics and texts provided. Only one student of the 30 had enjoyed the complete volume. This student was a native English speaker living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). English animations also failed to engage students' interest who, despite studying in an international school with dominant English language instruction, still preferred to engage with material in their own mother tongue (Arabic).
• As in group A, mothers in group C (families) found comics very engaging. They enjoyed interacting and learning together with their children. Many reported that these comics made for excellent, informative, and fun bedtime stories.
• 53% of Group D viewed and interacted with the online content.

The researchers reflect that this small trial confirms findings of larger studies: namely, that comics are an ideal medium with which to reach novice learners with difficult science topics. They provide an entry point for learning and knowledge acquisition and are a creative way to address science knowledge deficit. The researchers found the older generation with very basic knowledge to have no interest in digital presentations of the same content (videos and kindle formats). As digital media takes over paper-based learning, the findings suggest that this is a generation that risk being left behind unless education and information materials are provided in paper format in simple, engaging, and attractive ways. This is a finding to bear in mind if communicators wish to bring scientific or health information to the attention of older generations and wish to build their interest, engagement, understanding, and compliance. Many older people enjoyed the comics and images as much as younger learners. The researchers believe that reaching an older population and empowering grandparents to learn more about the world of viruses would benefit and facilitate children's education, too.

The small study also shows the importance of reaching communities with information in their mother tongue. Many refugees and migrants into Europe have limited foreign language skills; the comics in Arabic are a way to engage with these communities, especially since there is limited to no information material in Arabic on this issue that is comprehensive, culturally acceptable, and accurate. As refugees can have limited health literacy skills, the comics could address this deficit.

Immunisation and Vaccines