The MILEPOST Framework for Integrating mHealth Into Community-Driven Interventions: Lessons Learned From a...

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Health Systems Strengthening
• Human-Centered Design

Background:

• Participatory design is crucial for global health interventions, yet specific guidance is lacking.
• Existing frameworks offer broad approaches but limited practical experience.
• This study addresses the need for concrete strategies in co-developing health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose the MILEPOST framework for participatory mHealth intervention co-development.
• To share practical insights from applying human-centered design to hypertension medication financing in rural Uganda.
• To provide actionable guidance for researchers and implementers in designing sustainable health solutions.

Main Methods:

• Applied human-centered design principles to a community-led health intervention in rural Uganda.
• Embedded an mHealth platform within a hypertension medication financing initiative.
• Conducted iterative framework refinement through formative research and qualitative data collection (55 interviews, 4 focus groups).

Main Results:

• Developed the MILEPOST framework with 7 domains: medical, interpersonal, logistical, ethical, political, scientific, and technical.
• Identified specific design challenges and corresponding solutions within each domain.
• Demonstrated the framework's applicability through a case study on sustainable hypertension medication financing.

Conclusions:

• The MILEPOST framework offers specific, actionable insights for participatory health intervention design.
• It provides a structured approach to navigate challenges in mHealth intervention co-development.
• The framework can enhance the design and implementation of sustainable global health solutions.