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Cholesterol animations and other resources

Background

High cholesterol is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and two thirds of people at risk are not fully treated. For some people high cholesterol runs in their family as a genetic condition, this is called familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH).

As part of the national Lipid Management and Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) programme, Health Innovation Oxford and Thames Valley, along with North East North Cumbria HIN, NHS England, Spoonful of Sugar, Heart UK and Creative Connection Animation Studio, worked with patients and clinicians to develop a series of animated videos and leaflets.

The Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West (BOB) Integrated Care Board (ICB) funded and managed the translation of these resources into other languages including Albanian, Arabic, Hindi, Portuguese, Ukrainian and Urdu (see links below).

The resources are being shared nationally through the Health Innovation Network which runs a wider programme focused on preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD shortens lives, leading to one death every three minutes in the UK.

What we did

We held a series of workshops with patients and health staff focusing on the management of high cholesterol and FH. A thematic analysis of the discussions, alongside mapping existing resources, identified the need for new patient materials on these topics. An evidence search and summary looking at health inequalities was also undertaken. The animations and leaflets describe the importance of understanding cholesterol, the problems caused by blood fats being out of balance, and how to reduce the risks of having a cardiovascular event (e.g. heart attack or stroke).

For more information about treatment options, please refer to the NICE endorsed Summary of National Guidance for Lipid Management for Primary and Secondary Prevention of CVD.

What people said

Heike Veldtman, CVD Clinical Lead for BOB ICB, said: “BOB ICB is very grateful to Health Innovation Oxford & Thames Valley for their valuable work in creating these translated cholesterol information materials. We believe that by providing easy-to-read resources about cholesterol management in multiple languages we can significantly enhance health literacy, improve patient outcomes and address health inequalities in preventing cardiovascular disease.

“This will help individuals better understand their risk factors, detect high cholesterol levels early and follow treatment plans more effectively. Ultimately, these translated resources will empower people to take proactive steps towards protecting their heart health and reducing their risk of cardiovascular disease. By demedicalising the information and making it accessible to all, we hope to reduce stigma and promote a more inclusive approach to health.”

Hannah Oatley, Associate Director, Clinical Innovation Adoption, Health Innovation Oxford and Thames Valley, said: “We know from our work with primary care clinicians that finding simple, straightforward messaging around statins and cholesterol in general was a challenge. These co-produced animations are a great asset to our lipid management programme and we are keen to ensure they are shared with patients both within our region and nationally.”

Resources

English versions of all the animations can be found here.

Supporting leaflets in English can be accessed using the links below:

These resources are also available in other languages thanks to support from the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB): 

Albanian

Arabic

Hindi

Portuguese

Ukrainian

Urdu

 

Leaflets are also available from the Heart UK website.

For more information contact Dr Siân Rees, Director of Community Involvement & Workforce Innovation: sian.rees@healthinnovationoxford.org

Last update: 27th September 2024 at 14:23