Remote Inclusion of Vulnerable Users in mHealth Intervention Design: Retrospective Case Analysis

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Public Health

Background:

• Mobile health (mHealth) interventions are crucial for promoting healthy behaviors in vulnerable populations.
• Authentic participant representation is essential for effective mHealth intervention design.
• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote user-centered research methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore opportunities and considerations of involving vulnerable user groups remotely in mHealth intervention design.
• To provide recommendations for researchers and practitioners conducting remote user-centered research with vulnerable populations.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective examination of remote user-centered research practices from two projects in Norway and Australia.
• Utilized visual mapping and a reflection-on-action approach.
• Engaged low-income and unemployed groups in evaluating web-based mHealth interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Main Results:

• Identified opportunities including reduced research inclusion barriers and increased flexibility for researchers and participants.
• Noted considerations such as digital literacy transitions and contextualized insights into participants' lives.
• Observed seamless enactment of roles and enhanced flexibility in remote research settings.

Conclusions:

• Remote user methods are capable and suitable for engaging vulnerable user groups in mHealth research.
• These methods facilitate recruitment, reduce participation burden, and level power imbalances.
• Future research should address privacy implications of remote access and develop support tools for remote mHealth app testing.