Communicating Electroconvulsive Therapy Information via Web-based Narrative Medical Visualization

Abstract

The essence of this project is to create an accessible, comprehensive and engaging information resource about electroconvulsive therapy in the form of a scroll-based website. Frequently abbreviated to just ECT, electroconvulsive therapy is a neurostimulating treatment that uses transcranial electric stimulation to treat moderate to severe mental health issues. My core research focuses on investigating the use of narrative and medical data visualization as methods for communicating health data to a general audience. In particular, I focus on narrative portrayal of medical imaging-based data visualization, an area usually aimed at researchers and practitioners. I developed a website that combines such visuals and other produced material about ECT into an explanatory, interactive and engaging context. With this, I hope to provide a counterpart to existing misinformation about electroconvulsive therapy. Medical narrative visualization is a potentially powerful tool that can be used to communicate crucial health data to those it concerns. However, little research exists to support this process. With electroconvulsive therapy as my application domain, I have sought to explore how a general audience experiences medical narrative visualizations.

The essence of this project is to create an accessible, comprehensive and engaging information resource about electroconvulsive therapy in the form of a scroll-based website. Frequently abbreviated to just ECT, electroconvulsive therapy is a neurostimulating treatment that uses transcranial electric stimulation to treat moderate to severe mental health issues. My core research focuses on investigating the use of narrative and medical data visualization as methods for communicating health data to a general audience. In particular, I focus on narrative portrayal of medical imaging-based data visualization, an area usually aimed at researchers and practitioners. I developed a website that combines such visuals and other produced material about ECT into an explanatory, interactive and engaging context. With this, I hope to provide a counterpart to existing misinformation about electroconvulsive therapy. Medical narrative visualization is a potentially powerful tool that can be used to communicate crucial health data to those it concerns. However, little research exists to support this process. With electroconvulsive therapy as my application domain, I have sought to explore how a general audience experiences medical narrative visualizations.