| Benefits of using participatory design (PD) in menopause informatics research |
PD allowed us to gain rich insights and design ideas that may not come from interviews or focus groups alone
Allowing participants to engage in the design process using materials that invoked a creative atmosphere yielded creative design ideas Comparing the initial data gathered from the start of the sessions when we asked for verbal ideas during the “Brainstorming & Selection” part of the session (Table 1), the design artifacts generated during the later “prototyping” part of the session showed how these verbalized ideas could fit together into a unified design Showing HCPs the designs of individuals experiencing menopause provided an opportunity for HCPs to gain novel insights about their patient population
The PD process provided a space where individuals who experienced menopause could discuss a stigmatized experience
Participants noted how freeing it was to engage in the session and how some discussions were akin to a support group Example: In Session B, individuals experiencing menopause talked about how they did not have a support group and they would like to meet again in the future
Purposeful recruitment for PD sessions facilitated engagement of individuals experiencing menopause from the general public and complementary and integrative health practitioners
While there exist other recruitment methods (eg, online community postings) and reachable populations (eg, patients at a women’s health clinic) to engage individuals experiencing menopause, our approach helped us reach people who might normally be left out of the design process
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Insights gained from sharing individuals’ designs with HCPs
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Facilitated discussions on similarities and differences in designs
HCPs were less expansive in their design ideas, focusing more so on smartphone applications and tracking symptoms—these are solutions that exist within the limited technologies available within current menopause technology landscape Individuals who had experienced menopause provided more expansive ideas for solutions that included inventive wearable devices that used tracking to help predict and prevent burdensome experiences. It is possible that these individuals’ ideas were more inventive given their lived experience
Allowed HCPs to empathize and gain and understanding of the needs of individuals experiencing menopause that they did not have before
Showing HCPs the expansive designs created by individuals experiencing menopause helped HCPs empathize with—and become more aware of—the individuals’ lived experiences While there were female HCPs who had experienced menopause themselves, it is possible their practitioner training led them to design clinically available solutions (eg, mobile symptom tracking apps) rather than looking at supporting MT more expansively and holistically
Highlighted the importance of engaging individuals who have experienced menopause in the design process
We gained understandings of individuals’ needs and how technologies could meet those needs; they are the ones who most intimately understand the ecosystem in which menopause is experienced and are keenly aware of the biopsychosocial impacts of menopause This finding aligns with previous work regarding the design of technologies for menopause18,31
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Importance of designing Inclusive and Equitable Menopause Technologies
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Participants in our study described concerns about menopause solutions including accessibility and appropriateness of the solutions
Individuals experiencing menopause were particularly concerned that inequities would arise among people from less privileged backgrounds due to lack of relevance of and access to solutions. Developers should be intentional and purposeful when designing solutions to be inclusive of all individuals who menstruate and experience menopause beyond cisgender women Design considerations should address the diversity of and cultural influences on menopausal experiences7,73–75; the complex lives of midlife individuals balancing work, caring for children, and/or caring for older relatives,5,6,76–78 and the stigma faced by marginalized populations when seeking gynecologic healthcare.48–50
Developers can support equitable technology development through culturally-informed design
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If not carefully designed, health technology solutions can be misaligned with users’ cultural contexts79 and exacerbate existing or create new health inequities80 To engage in culturally-informed design, collaborate with potential end users throughout the technology development process81–83—a factor associated with the increased use of consumer health technology solutions among individuals from underserved populations is early engagement of potential end users during the solution’s design84 PD is particularly powerful when developing solutions to address a stigmatized and taboo health experience, like MT, that is disproportionately burdensome for marginalized communities
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