Graphical abstracts for knowledge translation: current practice and design guidelines in environmental health research

Graphical abstracts (GAs) are increasingly used to communicate scientific findings, but researchers without design expertise face significant challenges in creating effective visuals. This study systematically examines the use of GAs in leading environmental health journals and develops a practical guideline to support GA design for researchers without a design background. We systematically screened articles from three high-impact environmental health journals and identified 23 exemplar GAs for in-depth analysis. These GAs were evaluated using five content criteria (inclusion of title, background, methods, results and conclusion) and four visual design criteria (visual signs, grid systems, typography and color). Most of the GAs we reviewed showed substantial room for improvement in both content and visual clarity. Many did not serve a clear communicative purpose and suffered from issues such as unclear or missing titles, ambiguous background information and weak or absent conclusions. Visual problems—particularly related to typography and hierarchy—were also widespread. In contrast, the 23 exemplar GAs demonstrated how concise content, clear structure and coherent visual design can improve readability and better support knowledge translation. Based on these findings, we developed a simplified guideline focusing on two domains: (1) content clarity, by ensuring sufficient information from background to conclusion; and (2) visual clarity, by improving visual signs, grid integration, typography and color use. The resulting evidence-informed guideline can help researchers independently create clearer and more impactful GAs, ultimately strengthening knowledge translation and the broader impact of environmental health research.