**6.7 Step-by-step instruction**

Guiding patients through step-by-step instructions may provide a higher level of ease and less fear of the unknown [80]. For example, it need not take more than two pages to illustrate simply the processes of a laparoscopic procedure. Using comics may also be helpful in prescribing instructions for recovery. This may be especially helpful for non-native speakers of the language of treatment, patients struggling with illiteracy, or patients who are visual learners. For example, rather than verbally instructing a patient on the variety of doses and drugs to take at various times of the day with or without food, visuals may help. A visual that shows the medication type, whether pill, injection, or liquid, how to cut or measure it, perhaps a sun or a moon to depict what time of day to take it at, and illustrations of what to take it with like a meal or water, as was done in a particular case of non-English speakers at a teaching hospital in Merced, California [81], might increase patient understanding and adherence to treatment.

### **6.8 Asking questions**

Step-by-step instructions, as illustrated in *Health Capsules*, may also include teaching patients how to ask questions when something remains unknown. Patients may not ask for clarification for a number of reasons, including fear of appearing unintelligent [82] or difficult [83], fear of a generic answer to an emotional question [84], or simply not knowing how to ask. Comics have a unique opportunity to support this problem. These comics that are in a *Q&A* format and ask simple or funny questions may encourage those viewing these comics to ask any questions they may have. For example, through comics depicting patients asking relatively simple

*Medical Communication and SARS-CoV-2: Novel Approaches to Global Health Crises… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95943*

questions to their doctor, patients may realize that questions at all levels, no matter how simple, are important enough to be asked, and thus may encourage patient to seek more information about their health and treatment. Seeking information, asking questions, and receiving adequate answers have been linked to higher patient satisfaction in their healthcare [85–87].
