Learning about medications can be overwhelming. Much of the drug information available to the public, although comprehensive, does not distill the information into key messages and present it in a manner that is easy to understand. There may be a heavy emphasis on potential side effects with very little discussion of the benefits of the medication.
At the Health Design Lab, we wanted to use a well-known topic as an analogy to teach people about diabetes medications. We also wanted to incorporate the information into a story. This would allow people to learn about a relatively complex topic in an informative, yet entertaining and engaging way.
The product is an illustrated story that uses the analogy of picking a winning hockey team to characterize choosing a diabetes medication to lower blood sugar. Each diabetes medication has an accompanying hockey card that highlights the key information people want to know when starting a medication, including: how the drug works; how effective it is; the benefits; the side effects; how often it needs to be taken; other drug names; and whether or not it is covered by provincial drug plans. The format allows people to weigh the risks versus benefits of the medication and make quick comparisons between different medications that are used to lower blood sugar.
Explore our gallery of Hockey Cards below.
Acarbose
Gliclazide
Glimiperide
Glyburide
Insulin
Metformin
Nateglinide
Pioglitazone
Repaglinide
Rosiglitazone
Sitagliptin
Check out our Illustrated Explainer to see how these hockey cards can be used.
