Designing Culturally Responsive Visual Aids for Health Education in Managing Chronic Lifestyle Conditions in Ghana

Abstract

This study explored the potential of culturally adapted visual health education materials in supporting adults with diabetes and hypertension in Ghana. Limited health literacy and cultural barriers often make it difficult for individuals to manage these conditions effectively. To address this, a randomized controlled trial was conducted with 50 participants aged 40–81 years, most of whom were women. Participants were assigned either to a control group that received traditional health education or to an intervention group that used culturally adapted visual materials designed with African cultural elements and supported by AI-generated prompts. The materials focused on five self-management areas: nutrition, physical activity, medication adherence, healthcare engagement, and protein intake. Results showed that while both groups achieved similar immediate knowledge gains, those in the intervention group maintained significantly higher knowledge retention and self-efficacy after three months. Women demonstrated particularly strong retention, and participants with hypertension showed the greatest improvements. These findings suggest that culturally adapted visual aids for education can improve long-term outcomes for individuals with limited baseline knowledge, offering a promising approach to reducing health disparities. The integration of artificial intelligence into cultural adaptation provides a scalable model for developing effective health communication tools.