A Healthy Liver Will Always Deliver: Impact Study of a Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Awareness Comic

Health Commun. 2023 May 30:1-6. doi: 10.1080/10410236.2023.2215908. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Based on previous work, we developed the comic "A healthy liver will always deliver!" to raise awareness about Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and promote healthy lifestyles. An online pre-post questionnaire design demonstrated an increase in health-threat beliefs regarding NAFLD among the general public, as well as response efficacy and self-efficacy beliefs, normative and control beliefs regarding the maintenance of preventive strategies involving healthy diets and active lifestyles, after interaction with the comic's narrative. This effect was more evident in women. Furthermore, although we could not perform all the ideal controls during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the online strategy attracted mostly university education-level subjects, the comic seemed relatable and engaging. However, more work will have to be performed to ensure its usefulness in terms of acquired knowledge and behavior changes, especially in at-risk segments of the population.