Designing a multilingual maternal health literacy mHealth platform through co-creation

Abstract

Persistent disparities in maternal health outcomes are influenced by gaps in maternal health literacy, language accessibility, and system navigation, particularly among culturally and linguistically diverse populations. Mobile health (mHealth) platforms offer opportunities to improve preparedness and engagement across the perinatal continuum; however, many existing tools lack cultural responsiveness, linguistic inclusivity, and integration with trusted support systems. This brief report describes the development of a multilingual Maternal Health Literacy (MHL) mHealth platform through a community-based participatory co-creation process using Design Studios for Health conducted in Phoenix, Arizona. Four Design Studios for Health (DSH) were conducted between August and September 2025 with 50 women representing diverse racial, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds. Sessions followed a structured three-movement format within two iterative phases consisting of needs assessment and prototype feedback sessions, facilitating experience mapping, collaborative ideation, and iterative prototype feedback. Data sources included facilitator notes, session summaries, and visual mapping artifacts. An inductive thematic synthesis approach was used to identify cross-cutting priorities and design implications. Participants identified language accessibility, MHL support, privacy safeguards, integration of trusted human support, and practical navigation tools as foundational to engagement with digital maternal health platforms. Desired features included multilingual and low-literacy content, audio and visual guidance, customizable reminders, peer support connections, and culturally relevant resources spanning pregnancy and postpartum care. Trust, confidentiality, and user control over personal information were emphasized as essential to adoption. Iterative feedback informed refinements in interface simplicity, personalization, and accessibility. A community-based participatory co-creation process using Design Studios for Health generated actionable insights for designing a multilingual MHL mHealth platform that aligns with women’s lived experiences. Findings highlight the importance of centering maternal health literacy, privacy, trusted human support, and culturally responsive design in digital maternal health interventions.