M101:Digital Storytelling/Case Study/Health

Digital Storytelling in Health

Examples

Roberto and Nely Morales's story about sex and pregnancy in Indigenous Guatamala

http://silencespeaks.org/youth-leaders-speak/

Jimmy experiences a fall in a hospital that goes unobserved and leads to a severe spinal injury.

http://www.patientvoices.org.uk/flv/0047pv384.htm

Relevance

Patient Voices is a non-profit organization with a mandate to redress the dehumanizing experiences of the UK healthcare system. This organization facilitates the creation of digital stories by medical professionals, medical students and patients which explore the link between health and dignity. They show these videos to students in medical schools and to policymakers with the hope of affecting change.

Health-related digital storytelling is arguably more effective in a digital form than a paper-based form. For one, digital stories can be widely disseminated via the web, which can foster dialogue with a variety of people. Two, the format of a story can be very appealing. In focusing on the experience rather than expressing anger or attempting to get people's attention, stakeholders can come together over a common ground.