Turkey’s health campaigns shift visual language over time

Researchers applying critical multimodal discourse analysis examined how visual communication around tuberculosis in the 1930s and 1940s and COVID-19 in Turkey reflected changing approaches to public health and governance.

The study drew on archival materials including the journal Yaşamak Yolu (The Way of Living) from the Istanbul Anti-Tuberculosis Society, newspapers like Cumhuriyet, and digital media from Turkey’s Ministry of Health and public broadcasters.

Analysis revealed seven recurring themes, citizen-population-state, patient-healthy, microbe, hope, expertise-knowledge, education-school, and family/child, that shaped health campaigns across both periods. Visual strategies differed markedly between the eras. Tuberculosis campaigns relied on imagery emphasizing medical authority and individualized care, while COVID-19 communications stressed collective responsibility and digital participation. The depiction of medical professionals evolved from figures of rational command to those showing self-sacrifice. Visuals also transformed from scientific representations of disease to more colorful digital infographics.

The research suggests that visual discourse actively constructs public understanding of health, risk, and national identity during crises. Further study could explore how these visual shifts impact public trust and health outcomes in Turkey.