Involving Vulnerable User Groups for Designing eHealth : A Designers' Perspective

Involving users in the design of eHealth systems for the whole population can be difficult due to the wide range of potential users. This is particularly true in designing applications that will be used by vulnerable user groups, such as those of higher age, those with lower income or education, and those living alone or in rural areas. In this paper, we describe a qualitative interview study of designers involved in designing eHealth applications. The focus of the study was on how user needs and requirements are being incorporated into the design of such systems. The findings indicate the importance of understanding the accessibility needs of vulnerable populations. The paper describes a range of challenges reported in making eHealth more accessible to a wider range of users, including vulnerable groups.