Co-designing an adolescent-centered contraception support resource for adolescents and primary care clinicians

To design a developmentally appropriate contraception support resource for adolescents and clinicians in primary care.

We used human-centered design (HCD) methods to engage pregnancy-capable adolescents aged 14-17 and primary care clinicians. We led seven design sessions, using a series of participatory design activities to generate ideas and iterative feedback from participants. Participant responses were synthesized into user needs, design insights, and key specifications of the resource through reflection and consensus.

We engaged 27 adolescents and 42 clinicians. Design activities identified distinct needs for adolescent and clinician users. Adolescent users need information about sexual health and contraception earlier in adolescence and support in talking to their clinicians and caregivers about these topics. Clinician users need individualized information about patients' contraceptive preferences and questions to help tailor the visit. Design insights included that the resource must: (1) assess and discretely categorize adolescents' individualized care needs (2) offer a tailored experience based on their categorical needs, and (3) build adolescents' confidence and skills in discussing contraception with others, knowing one's options, and making informed choices. Key specifications of the resource include basic educational content with opportunities to receive additional detail; non-pressuring, easy to understand, inclusive language; and discreet, mobile-optimized access.

Adolescents need more information about contraception and sexual health during early adolescence and more tailored conversations with clinicians about contraceptive options. Clinicians need to provide patient-centered contraceptive care within the constraints of primary care. A co-designed contraception support resource holds promise to support both sets of users.

Contraception support resources in primary care often are not tailored to adolescents' unique sexual, cognitive, and social development. This study used human-centered design methods to identify critical design insights and key features of a developmentally informed, co-designed contraception support resource optimized for adolescents and clinicians in the primary care setting.