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Pharmaceutical Pictograms Testing

2023

Assessing Understanding of Pharmaceutical Pictograms Among Indian Audience

Agency

IIT Bombay 

Tools

Adobe XD

Adobe Illustrator

Type

Researcher

UX Designer

Assessing Understanding of Pharmaceutical Pictograms Among Indian Audience

Pharmaceutical pictograms are simple pictures that show how to use medicines safely. They help people understand instructions without language barriers.

Study Aim

To see how well Indian people understand common pharmaceutical pictograms.

Why It Matters

  • Pictograms improve medicine safety.

  • Help non-readers and multicultural users.

  • Avoid medication mistakes.

Audience

  • Diverse group including male and female shop owners.

  • Urban market setting with cultural and linguistic variety.

  • Engagement adapted to participant language comfort for better responses.

Pilot Study Insights

  • Many pictograms were misunderstood.

  • Some had several different meanings, showing diverse interpretations across the audience.

Methodology

  • Started with 50 pictograms from USP (United States Pharmacopeia).

  • Narrowed down to 12 pictograms based on importance, usage frequency, and ease of understanding.

  • Conducted interviews mostly with shop owners and vendors at Powai Market, Mumbai.

  • Language options included Hindi and Tamil, respecting participant preferences.

  • Responses were collected and analyzed in an Excel spreadsheet for accurate data handling and comparison.

Key Findings

  • Overall comprehension was below ISO (International Organization for Standardization) standard of 67%.

  • Confusing doctor/patient symbols could risk miscommunication.

  • Cultural differences impacted interpretation, such as arrows perceived differently.

  • Lack of clear cues caused wrong assumptions (e.g., missing food symbol).

  • Misinterpretation of critical icons poses patient safety risks.

Challenges

  • Symbols need to be clear and culturally neutral.

  • Important to avoid ambiguity to prevent medicine misuse.

Conclusion

Pharmaceutical pictograms must be carefully designed and culturally adapted for the Indian audience. Clear visuals and proper testing improve safety and understanding.

Glossary & Abbreviations

  • USP: United States Pharmacopeia – organization creating medicine standards.

  • ISO: International Organization for Standardization – sets global quality and safety standards (67% comprehension is minimum for effective pictograms).

  • FIP: International Pharmaceutical Federation – develops pharmaceutical pictograms.

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