Project MED: effects of a Medication EDucation booklet series for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Picture booklets about medicines are welcomed and understood by most adults with intellectual disabilities.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Neuringer et al. (2007) made eight picture booklets about common medicines. Each page used short words and big drawings.
They mailed the booklets to adults with intellectual disabilities, family members, and support staff. Then they asked everyone to fill out a short survey.
What they found
Most people said they read the booklets and learned new facts. Satisfaction scores were high across all groups.
Adults with ID liked the books but needed more help to understand every page. Staff and family found them easy to use.
How this fits with other research
Dai et al. (2023) later showed that Easy Read consent forms also boost understanding. Both studies prove plain-language visuals work for adults with ID.
McMahon et al. (2014) got similar gains with a computer HIV program. Together these papers show the format, not the topic, drives success.
La Valle et al. (2025) counted an average of eight over-the-counter meds per adult with ID. The need for clear med education is even bigger now.
Why it matters
You can copy the booklet idea today. Take any med sheet, swap technical terms for 4th-grade words, and add line drawings. Hand it to the client and ask them to teach it back. One page per medicine keeps the stack light and friendly.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
We developed eight heavily illustrated booklets covering patients' rights and responsibilities, antiepileptic medicines, and most psychotropic medicines. The language level was very basic but covered a wide range of information. We distributed free copies of the booklets, together with standardized questionnaires, to consumers with and without intellectual disabilities or other developmental disabilities; 604 questionnaires were returned. The majority of consumers indicated that they read the booklets, learned more about their rights/responsibilities and the medicines described, and found the booklets helpful. Consumers with intellectual disability experienced more difficulty than "average" consumers in understanding the materials, but satisfaction and understanding were reportedly high overall. Female and minority respondents indicated somewhat higher satisfaction with the booklets than did their counterparts.
Intellectual and developmental disabilities, 2007 · doi:10.1352/1934-9556(2007)45[33:PMEOAM]2.0.CO;2