Digital support for first time self-injectable contraceptive users in Nairobi, Kenya: A design evaluation

Women in Kenya have an unmet need for contraception, and self-injectable contraceptives offer a new, self-managed fertility control option. Self-injection reduces the need to travel to a facility for ongoing care, but the initial, in-person, consultation may be a barrier. Training in self-injection administration could be delivered via WhatsApp on a mobile phone.

This study aimed to observe and document the design process of a WhatsApp delivered self-injectable contraceptive service. This design evaluation employs a mixed methods approach using; observation of design meetings, analysis of design documents (process maps, prototypes) and interviews with the design team. Participants who tested the remote training element of the final service design were interviewed about their experiences.

Four tasks, delivered by the digital service, were explored in further detail: provide information on self-injectables; ensure the technical and privacy requirements of the video call are met; obtain information from the user to check eligibility; and observe the users first self-injection. The challenges, assumptions, iterations, and learning associated with these key tasks were documented and 3 case studies emerged. These case studies explore how the digital service altered the timing and medium of a clinical interaction, the construction of the user's physical space when interacting with the service and the challenge of performing legitimacy via WhatsApp.

By examining self-care facilitated by digital technologies, there are opportunities to learn about self-care, digital care and face-to-face care. Through examining the design process, we discovered ways in which digital services can change the rhythm of health care interactions, namely by stretching the time, space and medium of clinical interaction. When interactions are altered in this way, clinical legitimacy must be negotiated in new ways.