Blockchain-Based Mobile App for Digital Identification of Older Adults in Rural Peru: Design and Usability Evaluation...

Older adults in rural areas of Peru encounter many challenges in accessing critical public services, such as health care, education, and social assistance, due to low levels of digital literacy, limited access to technology, and the lack of formalized, secure ID. This inhibits entry into digital health, education, and social assistance systems and increases their risk of vulnerability and social exclusion.

This study aimed to design a blockchain technology-based mobile app architecture that helps facilitate secure and inclusive digital ID for older adults in rural areas of Peru, enabling access to vital services through a decentralized, privacy-preserving solution.

This study followed the design thinking process, which consists of five phases: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and evaluate. A total of 16 adults (aged 61-85 years) were interviewed to determine the usability barriers and security and privacy concerns with mobile technology, which was used to define functional and nonfunctional requirements. These requirements were developed based on the interviews. The primary features the target population valued included blockchain authentication, assisted registration, multilingual functionality, and a user-friendly interface. The features were prioritized and prototyped using the Figma web-based app. The architecture of the app was developed using the C4 model and accounted for sequential development while ensuring scalability, modularity, and decentralization. Usability was assessed quantitatively by administering the System Usability Scale to the same 16 participants after they had interacted with the prototype.

The mean System Usability Scale score was 60.78 (SD 13.68), indicating acceptable usability. The main issues identified were a lack of skills to navigate digital interfaces, concerns regarding data security, and accessibility challenges for people with disabilities. Participants provided high ratings for the assisted registration system and notifications. The modular, blockchain-based system architecture showed substantial potential for scalability and broader inclusion. The prioritization matrix identified that, for adoption, features must incorporate good design, be multilingual, and require secure authentication.

The proposed blockchain-based mobile app offers a viable technical and socially inclusive model for secure digital ID of older adults in underserved contexts. Usability testing suggested that the solution was perceived as secure, usable, and appropriate for the target population. Although not fully deployed, our prototypes and system architecture provide a good starting point for future implementation. The findings in this study can contribute to efforts to facilitate digital inclusion, access to services, and respect for people's autonomy in identity management systems for vulnerable people.