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Marzouk S, He S, Lee J. Emoji Education: How Students Can Help Increase Health Awareness by Making Emojis. JMIR MEDICAL EDUCATION 2022; 8:e39059. [PMID: 36367758 PMCID: PMC9700240 DOI: 10.2196/39059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Emojis can improve health communication, especially when incorporating emojis into traditionally word-only texts. Beyond improving communication, emojis also offer greater access to health care, especially for vulnerable and marginalized populations with limited health literacy. A recent study found that 94% of patients with limited health literacy preferred health reports with emojis. Moreover, health officials are considering adding emojis to cardiopulmonary resuscitation guidelines and public health guidelines for handwashing. As the world evolves with new technology and new methods of communication, we must also evolve the language and method we use to communicate health information to patients. In this viewpoint, we aim to discuss the methods health care professionals can use to develop novel communication methods using emojis and the benefits of their incorporation into health care communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sammer Marzouk
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard College, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Shuhan He
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jarone Lee
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
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Lotfinejad N, Tartari E, Sauser J, Fankhauser-Rodriguez C, Pires D, Pittet D. Are emojis ready to promote the WHO 5 moments for hand hygiene in healthcare? Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 2022; 11:127. [PMID: 36289506 PMCID: PMC9607812 DOI: 10.1186/s13756-022-01164-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hand hygiene is universally recognized as a cornerstone measure for the prevention of healthcare-associated infections. Although the WHO “My five Moments for hand hygiene” poster has been used for more than a decade to delineate hand hygiene indications and promote action, adherence levels among healthcare workers are still notoriously low and disquieting. To compensate for the lack of effective hand hygiene communication, we aimed to evaluate emojis as possible surrogates for the non-verbal aspects of hand hygiene behaviour. Methods Following a thorough review of the Unicode version 12.0, the most applicable emojis to the terms used in the WHO 5 Moments poster were extracted. We developed a self-administered questionnaire to assess the view of infection prevention and control (IPC) practitioners regarding the use of emojis to show the WHO 5 Moments. Completed questionnaires were collected and analysed to determine the suitability of the existing emojis to illustrate a unified emoji poster. Data were analysed using R (version 3.6.3). Results A total of 95 IPC practitioners completed the questionnaire from May to October 2019 from different countries. Of these, 69 (74%) were female, and the mean age of the participants was 44.6 ± 10.87 years. We found appropriate emojis for six of the words used in the poster, including
for touching (72%),
for patient (63%),
for clean (53%),
for procedure (56%),
for body fluid (58%), and
for exposure risk (71%). The existing emojis proposed for the words “hygiene”, “aseptic”, and “surrounding” seemed to be less satisfactory. Conclusions In summary, the findings of this study indicate that the existing emojis may not be able to substitute the words used in the WHO 5 Moments poster. Emojis might be helpful to address hand hygiene indications in healthcare that may eventually play a role in promoting this measure. However, emojis should be further studied to choose the most appropriate ones and avoid ambiguity and misinterpretation. More emojis to convey health related messages are needed. We recommend further research in this area to evaluate the effect of using emojis in healthcare-related behaviours. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13756-022-01164-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasim Lotfinejad
- grid.150338.c0000 0001 0721 9812Infection Control Programme, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva Hospitals, Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland ,grid.150338.c0000 0001 0721 9812Infection Control Programme, WHO Collaborating Centre on Infection Prevention and Control & Antimicrobial Resistance, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ermira Tartari
- grid.150338.c0000 0001 0721 9812Infection Control Programme, WHO Collaborating Centre on Infection Prevention and Control & Antimicrobial Resistance, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland ,grid.4462.40000 0001 2176 9482Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Julien Sauser
- grid.150338.c0000 0001 0721 9812Infection Control Programme, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva Hospitals, Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland ,grid.150338.c0000 0001 0721 9812Infection Control Programme, WHO Collaborating Centre on Infection Prevention and Control & Antimicrobial Resistance, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Carolina Fankhauser-Rodriguez
- grid.150338.c0000 0001 0721 9812Infection Control Programme, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva Hospitals, Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland ,grid.150338.c0000 0001 0721 9812Infection Control Programme, WHO Collaborating Centre on Infection Prevention and Control & Antimicrobial Resistance, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Daniela Pires
- grid.150338.c0000 0001 0721 9812Infection Control Programme, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva Hospitals, Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Didier Pittet
- grid.150338.c0000 0001 0721 9812Infection Control Programme, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva Hospitals, Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland ,grid.150338.c0000 0001 0721 9812Infection Control Programme, WHO Collaborating Centre on Infection Prevention and Control & Antimicrobial Resistance, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
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Szeto MD, Barber C, Ranpariya VK, Anderson J, Hatch J, Ward J, Aguilera MN, Hassan S, Hamp A, Coolman T, Dellavalle RP. Emojis and Emoticons in Health Care and Dermatology Communication: Narrative Review. JMIR DERMATOLOGY 2022; 5:e33851. [PMID: 36405493 PMCID: PMC9642845 DOI: 10.2196/33851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Emoticons and emojis have become staple additions to modern-day communication. These graphical icons are now embedded in daily society through the various forms of popular social media and through users’ personal electronic conversations. With ever-increasing use and inclusivity, exploration of the possible health care and dermatology applications of these tools is imperative. Objective The goal of this narrative review was to provide and evaluate an up-to-date literature survey examining the utility of emoticons and emojis in medicine. Special attention was paid to their existing and potential uses in the field of dermatology, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A PubMed search of peer-reviewed publications was performed in mid-2021 to collect articles with emoticon or emoji keywords in combination with other health care–relevant or dermatology-relevant keywords. Screening of publications and described studies was performed by the authors with education and research experience in health care, dermatology, social media, and electronic communication trends. Selected articles were grouped based on common subjects for qualitative analysis and presentation for in-depth discussion. Results From this extensive search, researchers were able to identify a wide variety of publications detailing the use of emoticons and emojis in general health care, pediatric health care, public health, and dermatology. Key subject areas that emerged from the investigation included the ability of emoticons and emojis to improve communication within pediatric health care, enhance mood and psychological assessment or mental health screening in adults, develop interventions to improve patient medication adherence, complement novel means of public health and COVID-19 surveillance, and bolster dermatology-specific applications. Conclusions This review illuminated the repurposing of emojis and emoticons for a myriad of advantageous functions in health care and public health, with applications studied in many populations and situations. Dermatology-specific uses were relatively sparse in the literature, highlighting potential opportunities for growth in future studies and practices. The importance of diversity and inclusivity has extended to emojis, with the recent introduction of skin color customization and new emojis better representing the comprehensive spectrum of users’ experiences. A continuously evolving and technology-driven population creates a unique niche for emoticons and emojis to ease worldwide communication and understanding, transcending the barriers of age, language, and background. We encourage future studies and innovations to better understand and expand their utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mindy D Szeto
- Department of Dermatology University of Colorado Aurora, CO United States
| | - Cara Barber
- Department of Dermatology Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center/Silver Falls Dermatology Salem, OR United States
| | - Varun K Ranpariya
- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Rutgers University Piscataway, NJ United States
| | | | - Jonny Hatch
- Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine University of North Texas Health Science Center Fort Worth, TX United States
| | - Jordan Ward
- Paul L Foster School of Medicine Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso El Paso, TX United States
| | - Megan N Aguilera
- School of Medicine University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Aurora, CO United States
| | - Shahzeb Hassan
- Feinberg School of Medicine Northwestern University Chicago, IL United States
| | - Austin Hamp
- Abrazo Health Network Goodyear, AZ United States
| | - Tyler Coolman
- Department of Dermatology Case Western Reserve University Hospitals Cleveland, OH United States
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