An argument for using participatory approaches for the design of online health interventions targeted at young women

The Internet is becoming an increasingly important portal to health information and means for promoting health in user populations. As the most frequent users of online health information, young women are an important target population for e-health promotion interventions. Health-related websites have traditionally been generic in design, resulting in poor user engagement and affecting limited impacts on health behaviour change. Mounting evidence suggests that the most effective health promotion communication strategies are collaborative in nature, fully engaging target users throughout the development process. Participatory design approaches to interface development enable researchers to better identify the needs and expectations of users, thus increasing user engagement in, and promoting behaviour change via, online health interventions. This article introduces participatory design methods applicable to online health intervention design and presents an argument for the use of such methods in the development of e-Health applications targeted at young women.

What do schoolgirls think of engineering? A critique of conversations from a participatory research approach

Whilst statistics vary, putting the percentage of women engineers at between 6%[1] and 9% [2] of the UK Engineering workforce, what cannot be disputed is that there is a need to attract more young women into the profession. Building on previous work which examined why engineering continues to fail to attract high numbers of young women[3,4] and starting with the research question "What do High School girls think of engineering as a future career and study choice?", this paper critiques research conducted utilising a participatory approach[5] in which twenty semi-structured in depth interviews were conducted by two teenage researchers with High School girls from two different schools in the West Midlands area of the UK. In looking at the issues through the eyes of 16 and 17 year old girls, the study provides a unique insight into why girls are not attracted to engineering. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2014.

Participatory design:how to engage older adults in participatory design activities

Ongoing advances in mobile technologies have the potential to improve independence and quality of life of older adults by supporting the delivery of personalised and ubiquitous healthcare solutions. The authors are actively engaged in participatory, user-focused research to create a mobile assistive healthcare-related intervention for persons with age-related macular degeneration (AMD): the authors report here on our participatory research in which participatory design (PD) has been positively adopted and adapted for the design of our mobile assistive technology. The authors discuss their work as a case study in order to outline the practicalities and highlight the benefits of participatory research for the design of technology for (and importantly with) older adults. The authors argue it is largely impossible to achieve informed and effective design and development of healthcare-related technologies without employing participatory approaches, and outline recommendations for engaging in participatory design with older adults (with impairments) based on practical experience.

Participatory research with older adults with AMD:co-designing a SMART diet diary app

The global population of people aged 60 years and older is growing rapidly. In the UK, there are currently around 10 million people aged 65 and over, and the number is projected to rise by 50% in the next 20 years (RNIB, 2013). While ongoing advances in information technology (IT) are undoubtedly increasing the scope for IT to enhance and support older adults' daily living, the digital divide between older and younger adults - 43% of people below the age of 55 own and use a smartphone, compared to only 3% of people aged 65 and over (AgeUK, 2013) - raises concerns about the suitability of technological solutions for older adults, especially for older adults with impairments. Evidence suggests that sympathetic design of mobile technology does render it useful and acceptable to older adults: the key issue is, however, how best to achieve such sympathetic design when working with impaired older adults. We report here on a case study in order to outline the practicalities and highlight the benefits of participatory research for the design of sympathetic technology for (and importantly with) older adults with impairments.

Participatory design with older adults for healthcare apps

The global population of people aged 60 years and older is growing rapidly [1]. Ongoing advances in mobile technologies have the potential to improve independence and quality of life of older adults by supporting the delivery of personalised and ubiquitous healthcare solutions. Suggested healthcare reforms reflect the need for a future model of healthcare delivery wherein older adults take more responsibility for their own healthcare in their own homes in an attempt to moderate healthcare costs without impairing healthcare quality. For such a paradigm shift to be realised, the supporting technology must address the needs of older patients efficiently and effectively to ensure technology acceptance and use. We argue this is not possible without employing participatory approaches for the informed and effective design and development of such technologies and outline recommendations for engaging in participatory design with older adults with impairments based on practical experience.

Több szempontú részvételi döntések a fenntarthatósági értékelésekben. A legnépszerűbb módszerek összehasonlítása = Participatory multi-criteria decision analysis. A comparison of methodologies

A fenntarthatóság értékelése definíciószerűen többdimenziós probléma. A megfelelő alternatíva, forgatókönyv, eljárás stb. kiválasztásakor ugyanis a döntéshozóknak egyszerre kell figyelembe venniük környezetvédelmi, gazdasági és társadalmi szempontokat. Az ilyen döntéseket alátámaszthatják a több szempontú döntéshozatali modellek. A tanulmány a több szempontú döntési eljárások közül a legfontosabb hétnek az alkalmazhatóságát vizsgálja részvételi körülmények között. Az utóbbi évek e témában publikált esettanulmányainak áttekintésével megállapítható, hogy egyik módszer sem uralja a többit, azok különböző feltételek mellett eltérő sikerrel használhatók. Ennek ellenére a különböző módszerek kombinációjával végrehajthatunk olyan eljárásokat, amelyekkel az egyes módszerek előnyeit még jobban kiaknázhatjuk. ________ Measuring and comparing the sustainability of certain actions, scenarios, technologies, etc. is by definition a multidimensional problem. Decision-makers must consider environmental, economic and social aspects when choosing an alternative course of action. Such decisions can be aided by multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA). This paper investigates seven different MCDA methodologies: MAU, the Analytic Hierarchic Process (AHP), the ELECTRE, PROMETHEE, REGIME, and NAIADE methods, and "Ideal and reference point" approaches). It is based on a series of reports in which over 30 real-world case studies focusing on participatory MCDA were reviewed. It is stressed, however, that there is no "best" choice in the list of MCDA techniques. Some methods fit certain decision problems better than others. Nonetheless, some complementary benefits of the different techniques can be exploited by combining these methodologies.

Through the kaleidoscope: media consumption patterns in the participatory cross-media era

The paper aims to identify actual media audiences of different mass- and non-mass media types through identifying those audience clusters consuming not different but differentiable media mixes. A major concern of the study is to highlight the transformation of mass media audiences when technology, digitalization and participation behaviors are able to reshape traditional audience forms and media diets, which may directly affect the traditional media value chain and in turn the thinking and decision making of media managers. Through such a kaleidoscope the authors examined media use and consumption patterns using an online self-reported questionnaire. They developed different media consumer clusters as well as media consumption mixes. Based on the results of the study the authors can state that internet use is today’s main base of media consumption, and as such it is becoming the real mass media, replacing television. However this “new” media has a completely different structure, being more fragmented with smaller audience reach. At the same time, television is keeping its audience. However, there are emerging segments self-reporting non- or light television viewing. This is how the question of the viewer-television relation among different television viewer clusters evolves. At the same time only gaming exhibited demographic differentiation of audiences based on gender.

Borinquen, la tierra de Belen: Participatory Action Research and Transformational Theory in the Urban Chicago Puerto Rican Experience: A Critical Analysis

This paper analyzes how José Lopéz’s participatory action research and transformational learning theory addresses the oppressed Puerto Rican experience. The paper examines the historical experience of colonialism, explains these two theories, and explores Lopéz’s adult education work in the Puerto Rican community using participatory action research and transformational learning.

Shi'a women's participatory roles in the establishing and sustaining Shi'a religious identity in South Florida : Islamic Jaffaria Association

The research on the Muslim American community is largely Sunni specific and the purpose of this thesis is to add upon the limited scholarly work concerning the Shi'a Muslim American community. This study looks into the American Shi'a Muslim education experience at the Islamic Jaffaria Education Center (IJEC) and how it establishes and sustains a Pakistani Shiite Muslim identity. In addition, research on widespread American Muslim education shows high female participation on all levels, including, but not limited to, board and teaching positions. To see if this situation exists inside the Shi'ite communities an ethnographic study was conducted over the course of about 4 months at the IJEC. The findings show that there is also high female participation at that Shi'ite education center on all levels. The study links the high female participation with the education and how it established and is currently sustaining a Pakistani Shi'ite Muslim American identity in South Florida.

Participatory Methods for Climate Change and Mental Health Research: Photovoice in Nepal

Background: The relationship between mental health and climate change are poorly understood. Participatory methods represent ethical, feasible, and culturally-appropriate approaches to engage community members for mental health promotion in the context of climate change. Aim: Photovoice, a community-based participatory research methodology uses images as a tool to deconstruct problems by posing meaningful questions in a community to find actionable solutions. This community-enhancing technique was used to elicit experiences of climate change among women in rural Nepal and the association of climate change with mental health. Subjects and methods: Mixed-methods, including in-depth interviews and self-report questionnaires, were used to evaluate the experience of 10 women participating in photovoice. Quantitative tools included Nepali versions of Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and a resilience scale. Results: In qualitative interviews after photovoice, women reported climate change adaptation and behavior change strategies including environmental knowledge-sharing, group mobilization, and increased hygiene practices. Women also reported beneficial effects for mental health. The mean BDI score prior to photovoice was 23.20 (SD=9.00) and two weeks after completion of photovoice, the mean BDI score was 7.40 (SD=7.93), paired t-test = 8.02, p<.001, n=10. Conclusion: Photovoice, as a participatory method, has potential to inform resources, adaptive strategies and potential interventions to for climate change and mental health.