Health Programs

T-Shirts and Hats:  Trachoma Health Education Materials Library

T-Shirts and hats are important tools in communities with trachoma. They promote awareness, health education, and community involvement and mobilization. Health educators become walking advertisements as they spread the message of behavior change and safe sanitation practices. Community members can also identify health educators within their locale by their trachoma "uniforms," fostering relationships and accountability.

Students in Ethiopia dance while singing songs about
the importance of trachoma prevention.

T-shirts, hats, bags, and other promotional items are produced locally, using the language of the target audience. Many programs produce these materials to commemorate large-scale trachoma activities such as antibiotic distribution or surgical campaigns. T-shirts are given to trachoma volunteers to wear during their trachoma control activities. Even when a volunteer is not actively promoting trachoma control, the t-shirt keeps the message traveling throughout the community.
 
Perhaps as effective as the health education messages themselves are the community-based health workers. These workers, often volunteers, display their t-shirts and hats with pride. The status that comes with the responsibility of health education encourages men, women, and children to adopt and maintain better hygiene practices.
 
Designing T-Shirts and Hats
 
Similar to posters, t-shirts and hats should convey one central health message. Slogans, images, and other text should be simple, clear, and readable. T-shirts have four areas to print images or messages: the left and right sleeves, the front and back. Hats can have messages printed on the front, sides, and back. 
 
Since t-shirts and hats convey health messages while they are being worn, the target audience will not have a lot of time to review the messages. Design a t-shirt or hat that can be read easily in a few seconds. The combination of an image and simple text ensures readability. Try to have no more than eight words on the front or back of a t-shirt and no more than three on a sleeve. Be sure not to clutter the t-shirt or hat with too much detail. The message will be difficult to read.

The text in this t-shirt from south Sudan, "Filter your water, Stop Guinea Worm" ,

is consistent with the image of a woman filtering her water. The clay pot she uses

is similar to those used in the region, and a low-literate person would be able

to understand the message as well.

Pre-Testing T-shirts and Hats

Pre-test t-shirts with the health workers and village volunteers that will wear them. Ask the group if they are comfortable with the design, colors, and images. Does the t-shirt make sense to them? Is it in a language they can read? Where would they wear it? Would men be comfortable in the shirt in front of a group of women or children?

Once the t-shirts are tested with health workers, test the audience who would likely view the shirts and hats (community members that receive regular health education, etc.). Do they find the design attractive? Is it culturally appropriate? Would they like to wear it? What do they think the message means? Is it clear?

An Ethiopian man (left) proudly displays his SAFE stategy hat in Amhara Regional State.  Two Sudanese women model the 'JMAL' tote bag which reads,
"stop trachoma for beautiful eyes."

 

View the Health Education Materials Tutorial to learn more about the design and development of health education materials.  Back to Home