Empowering Health Literacy

Health literacy, i.e. the ability to understand health-related information and communicate confidently about one's own circumstances, is of great importance. It enables effective communication between doctors and patients, which plays a central role in safe treatment.

However, there are currently hardly any applications that enable all patient groups to do this: Older, foreign-language and less literate people in particular often cannot access existing solutions. The aim of this thesis was therefore to identify key challenges and overcome them through targeted design approaches: The resulting concept provides patients with tools that can empower them to become active participants in the treatment process and relieve some of the workload of medical staff in the long term.

Based on a study with over 60 test subjects, a design strategy was developed and implemented in an app and other additional materials. The app accompanies patients through the process and conveys a sense of security and appreciation. Digitalisation creates transparency, optimises processes and promotes communication at an equal level between doctors and patients. Analogue media to complement the app ensure that all patients are supported, regardless of their individual needs.