Integrating a Human-Centered Design Tool, dScout, to Design a Web-Based Intervention for Parent-Adolescent Sexual...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Digital Health
• Adolescent Health

Background:

• Black male adolescents and young adults (BMAYA) face significant sexual health disparities in the US.
• Effective interventions are needed to improve sexual health knowledge and communication within this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the early-stage development of "The TALK," a nurse-led, web-based eHealth intervention.
• To codesign and evaluate the usability, feasibility, and acceptability of "The TALK" using a community-engaged, human-centered approach.

Main Methods:

• A community advisory council and Black-owned barbershop owners codesigned the intervention.
• A human-centered design process using virtual ethnography (dscout) was employed.
• Qualitative data on user experience and preferences were collected from parents (n=13) of BMAYA.

Main Results:

• Participant feedback was positive and constructive, identifying areas for improvement in design and content accessibility.
• The intervention's technological design and content were beta-tested for engagement and communication effectiveness.
• The study highlighted the importance of culturally relevant design and user experience in eHealth interventions.

Conclusions:

• Community-engaged and human-centered design processes are crucial for developing effective eHealth interventions for BMAYA.
• "The TALK" shows promise as a tool to enhance parent-adolescent sexual health communication.
• Further testing is needed to assess the efficacy and effectiveness of the intervention.