For nearly 3 decades Livingstone Medical  have been studying the effects that low health literacy has on consumer behaviour

- and the impact of information design on health communication.

The research was originally carried out in association with  Medical  Science Research here in the UK , which led directly to the creation

of Diseases Explained - an evidence based health information series written in a layman's language specifically for consumers.  

This work was certified by the Royal Society for Public Health, for the UK Department of Health's Information Standard

and later endorsed by the  Family Doctor Association .

This research also formed the basis for Coventry University's  inaugural degree  - an MA in Health Communication Design

created specifically for the launch of the new Health Design & Technology Institute (HDTI) here in the UK.

In the US this research was conducted in association with Case Western University's Department of Family Practice, Cleveland, Ohio.

The family reference book  A Patient's Guide to Diseases and Disorders  was first published in 2003  (Lexi-Comp, Ohio) and the

entire series was  also approved by the American Academy of Family Physician's Foundation (AAFPF) .

Livingstone Medical has also provided Information Design training services to the NHS,  Public Health Agencies,

Pharmaceutical Companies, Clinical Laboratories,  Patient Support Organisations,  Universities,

Health Communication Agencies  and Medical Publishers

In 2022 Livingstone Medical became a division of Diseases Explained Limited.