Fotonovelas

The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and impact of a guided educational intervention centering around dementia-oriented fotonovelas on a community sample of Spanish-speaking Latino older adults with a relatively low level of prior exposure to, or knowledge of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. Two fotonovelas, or “photo novels,” were developed and subsequently tested with 111 Spanish-speaking older adults who completed a survey following group administration of a fotonovela. After a discussion to reinforce the educational content, participants were given a second fotonovela to take home. A second assessment was conducted approximately three weeks later. The results suggest that many of the participants increased their overall knowledge of Alzheimer's disease and most reported satisfaction with the educational materials. Implications for use of fotonovelas as an acceptable and cost-effective means of providing health education to an underserved population are discussed.