Developing a Digital Medication Adherence Intervention for and With Patients With Asthma and Low Health Literacy:...

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Health Literacy

Background:

• eHealth interventions often fail to meet the needs of individuals with low health literacy (LHL).
• A one-size-fits-all approach by designers neglects the specific requirements of disadvantaged groups.
• Participatory design holds promise for developing tailored interventions, but practical insights for engaging LHL populations are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate participatory design activities tailored for people with LHL within an eHealth design process.
• To explore how these activities were integrated into the design of a smart asthma inhaler.
• To provide reflections and implications for designers engaging LHL individuals in future projects.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a design thinking framework (empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test) in two iteration cycles.
• Applied participatory design activities specifically chosen for LHL individuals: co-constructing stories, experience prototype exhibition, and video prototype evaluation.
• Focused on the design process of a smart asthma inhaler for individuals with asthma and LHL.

Main Results:

• Co-constructing stories enhanced understanding of medication adherence motivations, informing prototype development.
• Experience prototype exhibitions facilitated participant reactions and discussions on intervention use scenarios.
• Video prototype evaluation effectively communicated intervention goals and functionality, gathering relevant participant feedback.

Conclusions:

• A participatory design approach, with carefully selected activities, successfully engaged patients with asthma and LHL.
• This method fostered participant understanding and a sense of being heard.
• The study offers practical insights for designers aiming to involve LHL populations in eHealth development.