April 7-9, 2022 • Hyatt Regency • Lexington, KY
Communication Strategies to Promote Comprehensive Well-being
Communication Strategies to Promote Comprehensive Well-being
Abstract: Using Design Thinking to Raise Infant Mortality Awareness among Black Communities: A Case Study
Background The Infant mortality rate (IMR), which is defined as the number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births, has been regarded as an important indicator of publication health (Reidpath & Allotey, 2003). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021), the IMR in the United States in 2019 was 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births, which is higher than the countries with a similar GDP. Furthermore, infant mortality disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities. Compared to Hispanic (4.9), non-Hispanic white (4.6), and Asian (3.6) communities, Non-Hispanic Black has a much higher infant mortality rate (10.8). Purpose A large proportion of infant death causes are preventable, such as prenatal care, good nutrition, and safe sleeping practice. However, there is limited information about increasing the awareness of infant mortality issues among minority populations. Therefore, the goal of this case study is to present a process of designing communication strategies for raising infant mortality awareness among Black populations. Literature Previous research found that the use of Design Thinking (DT) is getting popular in the healthcare field and has shown to be an effective method for both delivering the messages and changing attitudes (Ferreira et al., 2015). Within the role of public health, DT is often used to develop innovative solutions that increase our medical knowledge (Bazzano, et al., 2017). Additionally, a DT approach allows for the ability to tap into an individual’s beliefs, hopes, fears which would allow for the creation of the right messaging that can lead to behavior modifications and a successful intervention (Randolph & Viswanath, 2004). As a result, the final products would better meet the target audience’s needs. Methods and Results The current case adopted the IDEAS framework created by (Mummah et al., 2016), which includes four overarching stages: Integrate, Design, Assess, and Share. For the procedure of the current study, a group of researchers from the College of Health at a Midwestern university in the US conducted multiple focus group interviews with all 18 individuals, including local community members, leaders, and stakeholders, to better understand the potential needs and barriers relating to raising infant mortality awareness. Three prototypes of communication strategies emerged from the interviews and focus groups: A video using metaphors to explain infant mortality causes, a website with health information materials and resources at the local communities, and a mobile game to teach infant care knowledge. The research team then designed the various prototypes for user testing and pilot based on the information gathered from the focus groups. The results showed that the design solutions increase the target audience’s motivation to reduce infant mortality. Conclusion Design communication strategies with a user-centered design approach allows the research team to gain insight from local community members and stakeholders so we can create strategies specifically for the target audience. Likewise, a DT approach also allows for those in the public health field and those in the communication field the ability to come together to create a more cohesive and innovative solution to problems in healthcare settings.