Co-Designing Culturally Grounded Mobile Health Games for Hypertension Management in Indigenous Communities

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Health Disparities
• Indigenous Health

Background:

• Hypertension disproportionately affects older adults and Indigenous communities.
• Systemic inequities and cultural mismatches hinder hypertension management in Indigenous populations.
• High rates of undiagnosed and unmanaged hypertension exist within these communities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the co-design of culturally relevant mobile health games for hypertension management.
• To support hypertension care factors: medication adherence, nutrition, exercise, education, and blood pressure monitoring.
• To enhance user engagement and acceptance of digital health tools through culturally rooted play and storytelling.

Main Methods:

• Participatory design methodologies were employed.
• A workshop with 14 participants was conducted to conceptualize and prototype mobile applications.
• Five medium-fidelity prototypes were developed, integrating Indigenous cultural elements and diverse play strategies.

Main Results:

• Culturally rooted play and storytelling show potential for enhancing engagement with digital health tools.
• Participatory and culturally grounded design can create mobile health interventions resonating with Indigenous worldviews.
• Five prototypes were created reflecting gamification and Indigenous cultural elements.

Conclusions:

• Indigenous-led co-design is crucial for addressing chronic disease disparities.
• Culturally responsive digital health innovation is essential for accessible health technologies.
• Future work includes iterative prototyping and playtesting for broader applications.