Applying user-centered design to enhance the usability and acceptability of an mHealth supervision tool for community health workers delivering an evidence-based intervention in rural Sierra Leone
Mobile health (mHealth) platforms have the potential to increase access to evidence-based interventions in low-resource settings. This study applied a user-centered design (UCD) approach to develop and evaluate an mHealth supervision tool for community health workers (CHWs) delivering an early child...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S205442512500038X/type/journal_article |
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| author | Cara M. Antonaccio Justin Preston Chokdee Rutirasiri Sunand Bhattacharya Musu Moigua Mahmoud Feika Alethea Desrosiers |
| author_facet | Cara M. Antonaccio Justin Preston Chokdee Rutirasiri Sunand Bhattacharya Musu Moigua Mahmoud Feika Alethea Desrosiers |
| author_sort | Cara M. Antonaccio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mobile health (mHealth) platforms have the potential to increase access to evidence-based interventions in low-resource settings. This study applied a user-centered design (UCD) approach to develop and evaluate an mHealth supervision tool for community health workers (CHWs) delivering an early childhood development intervention in rural Sierra Leone. We engaged CHWs (N=8) and supervisors (N=4) in focus group discussions, user testing sessions and exit interviews to gather feedback on the mHealth supervision tool’s usability and acceptability. Mixed methods findings indicated that the tool was generally well-received and perceived as easy to use, but there were also challenges related to connectivity, phone charging and the need for more comprehensive training and support. Overall, this study suggests that a UCD approach can promote the usability of mHealth tools to support CHWs in delivering evidence-based interventions in low-resource settings, highlighting the importance of addressing contextual challenges and providing adequate training and support to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of such tools. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9acf9477a98a406597cb3cfae009cff9 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2054-4251 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-9acf9477a98a406597cb3cfae009cff92025-08-20T03:32:14ZengCambridge University PressCambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health2054-42512025-01-011210.1017/gmh.2025.38Applying user-centered design to enhance the usability and acceptability of an mHealth supervision tool for community health workers delivering an evidence-based intervention in rural Sierra LeoneCara M. Antonaccio0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0248-8735Justin Preston1Chokdee Rutirasiri2Sunand Bhattacharya3Musu Moigua4Mahmoud Feika5Alethea Desrosiers6https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2392-0371Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USAAlpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USASchool of Social Work, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USASchool of Social Work, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USACaritas Freetown, Freetown, Sierra LeoneCaritas Freetown, Freetown, Sierra LeoneAlpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USAMobile health (mHealth) platforms have the potential to increase access to evidence-based interventions in low-resource settings. This study applied a user-centered design (UCD) approach to develop and evaluate an mHealth supervision tool for community health workers (CHWs) delivering an early childhood development intervention in rural Sierra Leone. We engaged CHWs (N=8) and supervisors (N=4) in focus group discussions, user testing sessions and exit interviews to gather feedback on the mHealth supervision tool’s usability and acceptability. Mixed methods findings indicated that the tool was generally well-received and perceived as easy to use, but there were also challenges related to connectivity, phone charging and the need for more comprehensive training and support. Overall, this study suggests that a UCD approach can promote the usability of mHealth tools to support CHWs in delivering evidence-based interventions in low-resource settings, highlighting the importance of addressing contextual challenges and providing adequate training and support to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of such tools.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S205442512500038X/type/journal_articlemHealthearly childhood developmentglobal mental healthcommunity-based interventionuser-centered design |
| spellingShingle | Cara M. Antonaccio Justin Preston Chokdee Rutirasiri Sunand Bhattacharya Musu Moigua Mahmoud Feika Alethea Desrosiers Applying user-centered design to enhance the usability and acceptability of an mHealth supervision tool for community health workers delivering an evidence-based intervention in rural Sierra Leone Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health mHealth early childhood development global mental health community-based intervention user-centered design |
| title | Applying user-centered design to enhance the usability and acceptability of an mHealth supervision tool for community health workers delivering an evidence-based intervention in rural Sierra Leone |
| title_full | Applying user-centered design to enhance the usability and acceptability of an mHealth supervision tool for community health workers delivering an evidence-based intervention in rural Sierra Leone |
| title_fullStr | Applying user-centered design to enhance the usability and acceptability of an mHealth supervision tool for community health workers delivering an evidence-based intervention in rural Sierra Leone |
| title_full_unstemmed | Applying user-centered design to enhance the usability and acceptability of an mHealth supervision tool for community health workers delivering an evidence-based intervention in rural Sierra Leone |
| title_short | Applying user-centered design to enhance the usability and acceptability of an mHealth supervision tool for community health workers delivering an evidence-based intervention in rural Sierra Leone |
| title_sort | applying user centered design to enhance the usability and acceptability of an mhealth supervision tool for community health workers delivering an evidence based intervention in rural sierra leone |
| topic | mHealth early childhood development global mental health community-based intervention user-centered design |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S205442512500038X/type/journal_article |
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