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Numerous studies support the thesis that icons frequently fail to communicate because designers have not appreciated that icons combine multiple symbols which interact to evoke meaning. Because symbols interact, a designer must know which symbols to combine and how to draw each symbol so that icons communicate clearly. This article brings together numerous research studies that explored new methods for designing icons based on the interaction of symbols.

The present research seeks to understand how different types of pictograms can represent their objects in various ways, as well as having a variety of processes of interpretation in the face of the affection of signs. The solution proposed to this proposal ensues through a literature review regarding the classes of signs in Peircean semiotics. Taking into consideration that pictograms are visual signs, it is possible to understand that their intention is to represent a certain object for an interpreting mind as they seek to represent a certain concept collectively. This study is focused on the analysis of universal pictogram in six airport systems and six Olympic systems made by Rosa in which he obtained four methods of creating pictogram systems to ensure their formal coherence. With Rosa’s proposal and analysis, it is possible to deepen the philosophical knowledge about sign classification of pictograms, classifying them within the trichotomies of signs proposed by Peirce and later developed by Lucia Santaella and Winfried Nöth.

Introduction: Pain is both difficult to see and to articulate and this is challenging for both patients and clinicians. The aim of this study was to develop and test pictograms to describe different pain qualities. Methods: 22 pictograms were developed for evaluation based on pain qualities of the short form McGill Pain Questionnaire, version 2 (SF-MPQ-2). An online matching survey was conducted and disseminated via social media in 2021. Results: An overall matching of 66% or higher between pictogram and pain qualities descriptors was considered a proper matching. This study was carried out internationally (males = 57, age=41y.o. [+ or -]16; females = 155, age=41y.o.[+ or -]17) and in Poland (males=49, age = 35y.o.[+ or -]17; females = 164, age=35y.o.[+ or -]16). There were 14 pictograms that did not achieve 66% matching in any country. 8 pictograms mutually in all subgroups achieved a matching score of [greater than or equal to]66% regardless of geographic location, sex, income, or education level. Discussion and Conclusions: These 8 pictograms can be used clinically once they have been redrawn to improve consistency, and future research in the design of pictograms representing pain qualities of the SF-MPQ-2 should focus on design improvements for the remaining 14 pain qualities with poor comprehensibility. Keywords: pain, pictograms, health literacy, SF-MPQ-2, pain comprehension

Background The use of pharmaceutical pictograms to enhance patients’ understanding of drug regimens has been proven effective in many countries. There are two reference systems for pictograms generally used in pharmacy: the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and International Pharmacy Federation (FIP). This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of USP and FIP pictograms among adults in the Philippines by identifying how many pictograms would pass the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) criterion of 85% comprehension, and to describe the factors affecting pictograms’ comprehension. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional research using a face-to-face interview was performed to evaluate 108 pictograms in 52 Filipino adults enrolled through quota sampling. Descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney U test (Wilcoxon rank-sum test), univariate linear regression, and multiple linear regression were used to statistically analyze the data collected. Results Only 17 (16 USP and 1 FIP) out of the 108 pictograms (15.74%) passed the ANSI criterion. The median score of Filipinos was 71 out of 108 pictograms (Interquartile range: 10–96). The multivariate model ( R 2  = 0.5645, F (4,47) = 15.23) suggested that the score was lower by 5.85 points if the user was female, 21.58 points lower if the participant was below Grade 12 education level, and 1.20 points lower if the patient was greater than 46 years old. Education level was identified as the significant predictor ( p -value < 0.0000*, power = 99.98%). The participant with greater than Grade 12 has a higher comprehension score of rank-sum 952.5 (Expected = 689) compared to only 425.5 (Expected = 689). Conclusions Since only 17 pictograms passed as stand-alone tool for patient information material, the researchers recommend the use of verbal and written instructions to complement pictograms to enhance comprehension. Furthermore, the government should consider the inclusion of health pictograms in basic health education.

Background Medication errors can often occur due to the patient’s inability to comprehend written or verbal medication orders. This study aimed to develop pictograms of selected medication orders and to validate the comprehension of prescription orders index and compare the comprehension scores with and without pictograms. In addition to determine the predictors that could be associated with a better or worse comprehension of prescription orders with pictograms versus that of their written counterparts. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using a snowball sampling technique. Six pictograms were developed to depict specific medication orders. The comprehension of prescription orders index was constructed and validated. The study then compared the comprehension scores of prescription orders with and without pictograms, and identified the predicting factors score difference. Results A total of 1848 participants were included in the study. The structure of the comprehension of prescription orders index was validated over a solution of four factors, with an adequate Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure of sampling adequacy of 0.711 and a significant Bartlett’s test of sphericity (P < 0.001). The construct validity of the index was further confirmed by highly significant correlations between each item and the full index (P < 0.001). The study also found a significant association between the difference in comprehension scores for prescription orders with and without pictograms and several factors, including age, level of education, area of residence, number of children, and smoking status with the difference of comprehension scores (P < 0.001). Conclusion Pictogram-based instructions of medication orders were better understood by the Lebanese population than written instructions, making the incorporation of pictograms in pharmacy practice paramount to optimize medication use by the patient and thus yielding better health outcomes.

This paper has tried to answer to a question: Is it important to use signs, symbols and pictograms to create a graphic and visual language, to communicate between people all over the world? And the answer is YES and will be explained in this paper. These graphic representations can be found in universities and schools, hospitals, airports, museums, libraries, network communication, business centres etc. But why are they so important? Because they inform, guide, allow, prohibit or warn depending on the situation. In our actual world visual communication without written language has become necessary. The main direction of the study was to present/design signage maps, as training models using signs, symbols, colours and pictograms.

Pharmaceutical care requires a patient-centered approach, focusing on the ability of patients to understand drug-related information and follow the instructions delivered by pharmacists as well as other health-care providers included in the circle of care. With the goal of ensuring the prescribed use of medications, called medication adherence, health-care providers have to consider many risk factors such as geography (culture), social economic status, age, and low literacy that may predispose patients to non-adherence, and considerations have to be made for chronic patients living with life-long disease states. The aim of this review is to provide a balanced and comprehensive review outlining a number of different medication counselling and education approaches that have been used to try to improve medication adherence and health outcomes with the use of clear and concise graphic illustrations—called pictograms. By highlighting the current landscape of the general use and efficacy of pharmaceutical pictograms to aid in the knowledge and recall of drug-related information, as well as outlining specific medication adherence outcomes with pharmaceutical pictograms in chronic patients, the current review describes the need for health-care providers to move beyond the traditional didactic methods of oral and verbal communication with patients regarding medication-taking behavior.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to summarize the comprehension of a pictogram about the risk of medication use during pregnancy.MethodsA systematic review was performed using the PRISMA checklist of the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, PsycInfo, LILACS, Academic Search Premier, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, grey literature (Google Scholar and OpenAIRE), ClinicalTrials.gov website, and design journals and congresses. The search was performed since the database inception, without language or year of publication restrictions.ResultsTwelve studies met the inclusion criteria for this review, 2 of which were randomized clinical trials. The pictograms and methods used varied widely among studies. The comprehension of the pregnancy pictograms had a complex communication outcome with a variation of 21–96%.Conclusions for PracticeThe lack of a standard pictogram and uniform methods to evaluate the comprehension of the pregnancy pictogram made it challenging to reach a conclusion with the studies available to date on the safety and efficacy of the pregnancy pictogram to alert the risk of medication use.

This paper integrates the first rock art directly dated with radiocarbon (14C) in Southeast Asia with the archaeological activity in the area and with stylistically similar rock art in the region. Peñablanca is a hotspot of archaeological research that includes the oldest dates for human remains in the Philippines. The caves in Peñablanca with known rock art were revisited and only 37.6% of the original recorded figures were found; the others are likely lost to agents of deterioration. A sample was collected from an anthropomorph and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dated to 3570–3460 cal BP. The date corresponds to archaeological activity in the area and provides a more holistic view of the people inhabiting the Peñablanca caves at that time. A systematic review was used to find similar black anthropomorph motifs in Southeast Asia to identify potential connections across the region and provide a possible chronological association.

Introduction Low adherence is a major challenge in healthcare worldwide, being particularly dangerous for patients with chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and heart failure, where strict adherence is essential. Non-adherence is observed in almost half of patients, and the consequences encompass a lack of therapeutic effects, health deterioration, decreased quality of life, and even death. For cardiovascular patients, the great importance of health education and pharmaceutical education can be provided within pharmaceutical care in community pharmacies. Therefore, our study aimed at evaluating the level of satisfaction with the “Healthy Heart” pharmaceutical service, in which patients received pictograms with dosage information affixed to their medication. Material and methods The study was designed for patients who had been prescribed an antiplatelet medication for the first time. The patients were recruited by 577 pharmacies that took part in the study after completing a special course. Ultimately, 1590 patients were enrolled in the study. The project ran from November 2019 to January 2022. Results Most of patients had a positive attitude to the “Healthy Heart” pharmaceutical service. More than 85% of the respondents were of the opinion that the pictograms facilitated the use of the medication, and 81.7% of the respondents stated that the system of labels helped in adherence. Over 66% of the respondents thought that such labels should be included in pharmacy services, and 77.92% of the participants reported that this system of labelling medications should be offered through all pharmacies. Conclusions Pharmaceutical labels in the pharmacists’ everyday practice can largely improve patient adherence. These efforts, provided as part of their pharmaceutical services, can have a huge influence on optimisation of patient health outcomes.