Use of Message Design Principles in Breast Cancer Brochures

Ho, Jia-Yiing and Ting, Su Hie (2018) Use of Message Design Principles in Breast Cancer Brochures. In: ASEAN English Language Teaching Conference 2018, 17-19 March 2018, Hotel Equatorial Melaka.

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Abstract

Communication of health risk messages is usually through newspapers, magazines, brochures and increasingly through social media. For the health risk message to reach the public, the materials have to be picked up and read; therefore availability and appeal of the materials are important. Research on message design has identified a few principles that govern health risk communication. This study examines the use of message design principles in the breast cancer brochures produced by Ministry of Health. For the study, five breast cancer brochures were analysed for the use of colour, typographical features, and graphics. Analysis showed that most of the brochures were in pink colour which is associated with breast cancer (The Pink Ribbon connoting breast cancer awareness). The analysis revealed that typographical features is probably the element of message design that needs improvement because most of the brochures used upper case letters and did not maximise the use of other features to increase the public’s appeal. As for graphics, the use of human figures and the pink ribbon illustrate key messages. The study suggests that public receptivity to breast cancer risk messages can be improved through better application of the message design principles.

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