Hi, my name is Claire, and my PhD research focused on how health comics can be used to communicate health information. There are many challenges of communicating complex health information to the population, and poorly communicated health information can create distrust, confusion and risky health behaviours. Comics can meet these healthcare challenges by engaging and catering to a diverse population with differing needs. As part of my PhD project, I wanted to create a health comic from scratch, not only to experience leading and developing a comic from the initial stages through to the launch and distribution, but also be able to implement findings from previous studies within my research into the development of the comic, so it was created with a research-informed approach.
I wanted to create a comic on Multiple Sclerosis as my dad has MS and was diagnosed in 2011. I felt this topic would be a good fit for a health comic to visualise the hidden symptoms of MS and highlight how they can impact daily life for many people. I wanted to make sure the comic was representative of the MS community and medically accurate, beyond my family's experience, so I developed strong partnerships with the MS Trust and the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic to ensure the health content and the comic's portrayal of MS were accurate. To make sure the comic also looked professional, I got in touch with Cat and Ashling (aka The Chip Collective), my chosen comic artists for the project, as I love their art style and approach to health comics. I really enjoyed working with everyone involved in creating the comic; everyone was super supportive and enthusiastic at each stage of the resource’s development, and working with a multidisciplinary team on a creative project was really enjoyable. The comic was launched during MS Awareness Week 2025 and has been enthusiastically engaged with and integrated into national MS awareness training. I am really pleased with the finished comic and the recognition of my work through this award; it really means a lot!
If you are interested and want to check out Through the MS Looking Glass: Navigating the Unseen, you can read it here: https://abdn.elsevierpure.com/en/publications/through-the-ms-looking-glass-navigating-the-unseen/
Claire is currently completing her PhD at the School of Psychology.
