Cultural Tailoring of a Mobile Health Application to Support Postpartum Symptom Monitoring

Consumer health informatics applications that address clinical conditions with disparate outcomes may benefit from an inclusive design approach (ensuring interfaces are usable by various groups) or targeted tailoring specifically for the group(s) experiencing disparities. We present the results of a usability assessment where we conducted cultural tailoring of a mobile health application for postpartum symptom monitoring focused on Black/African American patients. In our assessment with 10 health professionals and 16 patients, we highlight the importance of involving representative patients and clinical experts; promoting encouragement and sustained use; providing marginalized communities with communication support for improved trust and confidence; and considering different approaches to ensure patients feel represented in the imagery contained within applications. These findings may support future approaches to inclusive design and cultural tailoring of consumer health applications.