JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

People with a low socioeconomic position (SEP) are less likely to benefit from eHealth interventions, exacerbating social inequalities. Professionals in the field face many challenges regarding development, adaptation and application of eHealth for this group.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to describe the development of an inclusive eHealth guide based on the needs and wishes of professionals in developing and adapting eHealth interventions for individuals with a low SEP.

Methods:

The study took place between December 2020 and December 2022 and was conducted in two phases. The first phase involved the development of the content and information structure for the guide. It was informed by data from two studies performed earlier. A Delphi study about barriers and facilitators identified by professionals (top-down) and a community-based participatory study that identified attitudes of the target group (bottom-up). In the second phase, we developed the guide through an iterative participatory process with 11 professionals. We used test versions (prototypes) and think-aloud testing combined with semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire to identify design requirements and adapted the guide accordingly. Data were analyzed using thematic analyses.

Results:

We formulated 16 requirements on system, content and service aspects for the design of an online guide to support professionals during the development and adaptation of eHealth for people with a low SEP. For the system category, the guide was required to have an open navigation strategy leading to more specific information and short pages with visual elements. Content requirements included providing comprehensible information, scientific evidence, a user perspective, information on practical application, and a personal and informal tone-of-voice. Service requirements involved improving suitability for different professionals, ensuring long-term viability, and a focus on implementation. We developed a final version of ‘the inclusive eHealth guide’ according to these requirements.

Conclusions:

The online guide resulting from this study provides an important step to improve the development of eHealth for people with a low SEP. The guide, being aligned with the needs and wishes of professionals working in this field, addresses existing gaps and could serve as a solid starting point for those looking to develop or adapt eHealth interventions for low SEP populations. Future research should investigate how to make the guide more suitable to different goals of end-users, while also determining the external validity and applicability of the guide for eHealth interventions for people with a low SEP.