Developing an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data-based mobile phone app to provide adolescents with sexual reproductive health information: a human-centered design approach (original) (raw)
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JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 2021
Background Adolescents transitioning from childhood to adulthood need to be equipped with sexual reproductive health (SRH) knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that empower them. Accessible, reliable, appropriate, and friendly information can be provided through mobile phone–based health interventions. Objective This study aims to investigate the effectiveness and impact of an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD)–based app in increasing adolescents’ knowledge about contraceptives, gender-based stereotypes, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), abstinence, and perceived vulnerability, and helping adolescents make informed decisions about their SRH. Methods A randomized controlled trial (RCT) methodology was applied to investigate the potential of a USSD-based app for providing on-demand SRH information. To be eligible, adolescents aged 15 to 19 years residing in Kibra, Kenya, had to have access to a phone and be available for the 3-month follow-up visit. Participants ...
BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 2015
Background: The increasing pervasiveness of mobile technologies has given potential to transform healthcare by facilitating clinical management using software applications. These technologies may provide valuable tools in sexual health care and potentially overcome existing practical and cultural barriers to routine testing for sexually transmitted infections. In order to inform the design of a mobile health application for STIs that supports self-testing and self-management by linking diagnosis with online care pathways, we aimed to identify the dimensions and range of preferences for user interface design features among young people. Methods: Nine focus group discussions were conducted (n = 49) with two age-stratified samples (16 to 18 and 19 to 24 year olds) of young people from Further Education colleges and Higher Education establishments. Discussions explored young people's views with regard to: the software interface; the presentation of information; and the ordering of interaction steps. Discussions were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Interview transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis.
There is a need to provide ‘youth at risk’ groups in marginalised communities with simple and private access to relevant reproductive health information. Youth at risk are young people faced with various challenges such as multidimensional poverty, unemployment and those that have an uncertain future. It is important that the youth be aware of all the critical life information particularly health information in order for them to make better choices. With mobile technology being an integral part of everyday life of the youth, it seems fit to use existing mobile functionalities or an extension thereof to provide relevant mobile-based services for information access. Mobile-based services are rapidly becoming popular as a tool to promote all kinds of areas of health especially for information provision. This research project focuses on mobile-based services to promote reproductive health information for youth at risk groups, aged 18 to 24. The study explored the many ways of accessing information, the available technology and existing practices by youth to access reproductive health information. Respective user needs were identified to address issues of sensitivity and privacy effectively. Challenges with engaging with the youth are discussed and recommendations are presented.
Frontiers in Public Health
BackgroundAdolescence is a period of emotional, mental, and physical change. To increase health seeking behaviors, reduce risky sexual behavior, and improve sexual and reproductive health (SRH) knowledge, adolescents require support and access to SRH services. Providing evidence-informed SRH knowledge to adolescents in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) can be a challenge as they face unique barriers such as lack of confidentiality, fear of refusal, and stigma from cultural norms. Increasing availability of mobile apps necessitates a comprehensive evaluation of the quality and classification of these SRH mobile applications so that accurate and evidence-based information is reaching its users. Failure to provide SRH services can have damaging effects throughout their development.ObjectiveProvide an overview of current adolescent SRH (ASRH) mobile applications targeting adolescents in LMICs by evaluating their quality and classifying their characteristics.Methods21 search terms...
Jurnal Keperawatan Soedirman, 2018
Introduction: The increase of adolescent population globally and nationally makes adolescent as vulnerable group to health problems, especially reproductive health. Adolescent has curiosities, like challenges, and dare to take risks. The impact is unwanted pregnancy, sexual transmition diseases, and abortion. Therefore, there is a need of KIE media for adolescent reproductive health based on information technology: smart phone applications.Objective: To identify research articles on smart phone use as KIE media for adolescent reproductive health.Method: Literature study in 20 journals through Google Scholar, Proquest, and EBSCO in the last 5 years, keywords adolescent reproductive health, health education, smartphone application. Data are analyzed in tables contain title, author, year, methodology, result, and recommendation.Result: Smartphone application as KIE media for adolescent reproductive health effectively increased the connection of adolescents with parents and health worke...
2020
Background: Digital health usability assessments can help explain how well mobile health (mHealth) apps targeting young people with sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information performed and whether the intended purpose was achieved. However, few digital health assessments have been conducted to evaluate young people's perceptions regarding mHealth system interactions and content relevance on a wide range of SRH topics. In addition, the majority of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have focused on push messaging platforms; therefore, the mHealth field lacks sufficient RCTs investigating on-demand mHealth SRH platforms. Objective: The objective of this study was to explore young people's experiences using an on-demand SRH mHealth platform in Kenya. Methods: We used qualitative data related to the usability of an mHealth platform, Adolescent/Youth Reproductive Mobile Access and Delivery Initiatives for Love and Life Outcome (ARMADILLO), collected at the end of the intervention period. A total of 30 in-depth interviews (IDIs) were held with the intervention participants (15 women and 15 men) to elicit their experiences, opinions, and perspectives on the design and content of the ARMADILLO platform. The study participants were randomly selected from a list of intervention arm participants to participate in the IDIs. The interviews were later transcribed verbatim, translated into English, and coded and analyzed thematically using NVivo version 12 software (QSR International). Results: Respondents reported varied user experiences and levels of satisfaction, ranging from ease of use by the majority of the respondents to systematic frustrations that prevented some participants from progressing to other stages. Interesting features of the mHealth platform included the immediate response participants received when requesting messages, weekly remunerated quizzes, and perceived ability of educative and informative content and messages to change behaviors. Proposed enhancements to the platform included revising some concepts and words for easy understanding and increasing the interactivity of the platform,
Journal of Medical Systems, 2019
The Preparadxs app was designed to enhace the prevention of the HIV and other sexually transmitted infections transmission through the empowerment of the user. The purpose of this study is to determine the usability and perception about the app among real users. In this prospective cross-sectional study all app end-users were asked to answer the System Usability Scale and question regarding app capability to reduce sexually transmitted infections in the future. Influence of several variables (gender identity, educational level and digital native condition) was explored. A total of 69 users answered the survey during study period. Most of them were male and had university studies. Final usability score was 80,8 points which means a good, near excellent usability. No differences in usability scores were observed regarding to gender identity, native condition or educational level. Most users were strongly agree (56,5%) or agree (28,9%) with app potential to reduce the incidence of HIV and other STIs in the future.
JCO global oncology, 2022
PURPOSE This study describes the 10 steps followed to produce the information architecture of a user-centered design (UCD) counseling mobile application, the first phase to develop an app. The app aims to reduce the psychosocial impact of the human papillomavirus test result and improve women's knowledge of human papilloma virus and cervical cancer. METHODS We used a UCD approach to produce the information architecture of the app (ie, how to organize contents into features). We analyzed field notes, meeting agendas, and documentation produced during each stage of the design process. We described the goals, methods, and outcomes of each step. We also discussed the critical challenges and the strategies to address them. RESULTS The steps are (1) knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs mapping: reanalysis of team's research findings from prior studies; (2) environmental scanning of apps available on the market; (3) stakeholders' point of view: The International Advisory Committee; (4) potential user's profile: building archetypes through the Persona method; (5) women's interviews: user's preferences and experiences; (6) effective features: scoping review to select app's features that address psychosocial impact; (7) the user journey: ideal interaction with the gynecological service and the counseling app; (8) women's focus groups: using Personas and Scenarios to discuss app's mock-up; (9) women's design sessions: prototype test and card-sorting techniques; and (10) team's design session: translating results into visual objects and features. CONCLUSION We provide here detailed descriptions of the UCD process of an app for human papillomavirus-tested women for those venturing into the area of mHealth strategies work. Our experience can be used as a guide for future mHealth app development for a low-and middle-income setting.
Social Sciences
Mobile health (mHealth) programs offer opportunities to improve the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) of adolescents by providing information. This paper reports the findings of a study carried out in Homabay County, Kenya, to assess stakeholders’ perspectives on access to and use of mobile phones by adolescents for SRH education. We aimed to establish whether mobile phones could facilitate access to SRH information by adolescents and the barriers to be addressed. This was a qualitative exploratory study involving adolescents, parents, teachers, health care workers, and community health volunteers. Data were collected through focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs), and were analyzed through thematic and content analysis. Respondents lauded mHealth as an effective and efficient approach to adolescent SRH education with a potential to promote the learning of useful SRH information to influence their behavior formation. Respondents pointed out bottlenecks...
Mobile Apps for Sexual and Reproductive Health Education: a Systematic Review and Quality Assessment
Current Sexual Health Reports
Purpose of Review The aim of this study was to present the current state of research on mobile health apps for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education. Apps were analysed based on contents (by using the World Health Organization’s SRH framework), features, intended audiences and quality of evidence (by applying the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach). Taking German sexuality education apps as an example, the rapid development in the field of SRH apps over the last 3 years has been revealed by comparing the quality of apps available in 2019 with apps from 2022. Recent Findings SRH apps allow health information to be disseminated quickly, at low thresholds and in a practical and cost-effective manner. Moreover, they allow for anonymous usage independently of time and place. In the absence of network coverage, offline use is also possible. Previous research focused on individual SRH aspects (e.g. human immunodeficiency virus (HIV),...