In the framework of health humanities (HH), this chapter aims to articulate an evidence-based rationale and a specific use of graphic narratives (GN), which include comics and graphic novels, for the development of an attitude of “patient-centered care” in caregivers and an “adaptative psychological response to illness” in patients. Such rationale and use of GN also aims to contribute to patients' decentering, receiving of empathy, and articulation of their experience of illness. First, the background of such use of GN is introduced, by referring to previous research in the field. Second, a presentation of the proposed use of GN is made, followed by a rationale. Third, a set of strategies for analyzing GN in this context, based on research on the psychology of GN, is given and exemplified. Finally, some reflection is offered regarding limitations and needs of the suggested use of GN in HH.
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Health Humanities (HH) support the use of the arts in the education, development and care of health personnel and patients. For example, Narrative Medicine proposes the development, in students and health professionals, of the competence of analyzing fictional narratives in the theme of care (e.g., literary, pictorial, cinematographic, etc.), due to the supposed effect of that competence on the ability to analyze patients' stories, and better understand and relate with them (e.g., Charon, 2001, 2015, 2008; Johna & Rahman, 2011).
More recently, in addition to the use of mainstream arts (namely literature and cinema) as resources for health staff and patient education and care, HH extended its interest to the use of graphic narratives (GN), which include comics and graphic novels. Therefore, GN started to be employed both in patient care and education, and in health staff education (Czerwiec et al., 2015; Green & Myers, 2010, McAllister, 1992).
Specifically, the use of GN in HH has been frequently implemented using “graphic pathographies”, that graphically narrate illness, and can help health staff and patients to articulate and better understand diseases and the personal experience of illness (Green & Myers, 2010; Venkatesan & Peter, 2019). Besides, reading “graphic pathographies” might hypothetically help patients navigate medical culture (Myers, 2015), divert their attention, reduce their anxiety and feelings of isolation, and increase hope (Green & Myers, 2010); while they might help health staff develop diagnostic reasoning and doctoring analytical skills (Green, 2015; Myers, 2015). Also, involvement of medical students in the creation of comics in the thematic of health (e.g., Green, 2013, 2015) can foster an articulation of the empathy towards patients (de Rothwelle, 2019), along with reflection, creative, and communication skills (Green, 2015).