AppalachiaCare
Capstone Project - M.S. in Information Technology
Product: Web-based Mental Health Resource Platform
Timeline: June 2024 - July 2024
Role: UX Research/Design (Student Project)
Tools Used: Claritas 360, Excel, Figma
AppalachiaCare is a web-based platform designed to improve access to mental health resources for rural Appalachian communities.
Problem
The number of mental health professionals per 100,000 residents in rural Appalachia is 35% lower than the national average, and up to 50% lower in the most impacted regions.
Yet, individuals residing in Appalachia in general report feeling depressed more frequently than other geographic regions.
Both of these statistics were reported by the American Psychiatric Association (link). There is a disconnect between the number of available providers and the Appalachian people needing care. Many people report wanting to find care but feel unsure where to look.
Solution
AppalachiaCare aims to bridge service gaps by offering culturally sensitive and accessible resources. It includes digestible content on common conditions, telehealth guidance, and directories to address rural mental health needs.
1. Research
For this project, I was tasked with creating an innovative solution to a social problem. Drawing from my prior experiences providing telehealth services to rural communities, I saw firsthand how telehealth could expand access and how underserved populations could benefit when given the right information and resources. Recognizing that in-person resources may still be ideal for some, I included avenues for both methods of service delivery in the solution.
Although I could not conduct primary research as this was a graded course, I drew inspiration from my prior experience and gathered insights from secondary sources to inform the design. Research objectives focused on understanding the problem, addressing barriers to service, and aligning the solution with user preferences for branding and design.
Method 1: Literature Review
This included a scoping review of peer-reviewed articles that identified mental health needs, challenges in seeking care, openness to telehealth, and condition prevalence rates within the target demographic to determine priorities for the solution.
Rationale
This approach provided an evidence-based understanding of user needs, pain points, and service barriers, highlighting strategies that have been successful at improving access to ensure the solution would effectively address these requirements.
Key Insights
Common conditions identified included depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Findings highlighted trends such as lower technological skills, higher disability rates, and greater access to desktop devices compared to mobile devices in Appalachia. Additionally, the region has a large population of veterans, making it essential to consider their mental health needs.
Method 2: Market Segment Analysis
I discovered the value of Claritas 360 during my internship with a media planning agency. Although not its traditional use, I found it beneficial for analyzing demographics, preferences, and branding choices to appeal to rural Appalachian populations.
Rationale
This approach provided insights into the broader experiences of target users to ensure the solution aligned with their cultural values and lived experiences. This data offered a culturally aligned, evidence-based foundation for the solution to foster trust, acceptance, and engagement.
For more information on Claritas 360 data, see this report detailing my process with most relevant data tables included.
Key Insights
Individuals in the target population tended to have lower overall income and educational attainment, with many employed in service or blue-collar industries. Users rated their overall health as “fair” to “good”, but rarely as “very good or excellent”. Despite lower technological familiarity, users showed a willingness towards telehealth.
Common cultural traits included frugality, collectivism, loyalty to one’s culture and family, and skepticism toward outsiders.
Method 3: Competitive Research
I assessed currently available mental health resources and directories for content gaps, in light of the insights I gained from the literature review and market segment analysis.
I also analyzed Appalachian medical centers’ websites to identify strategies that would resonate to users. My branding strategy was fine-tuned by gathering design insights from websites of well-liked brands for the target population, as identified in the Claritas 360 data.
Rationale
Given the lack of direct competitors, I examined adjacent resources to identify market gaps and inform branding decisions.
Key Insights
Comprehensive, end-to-end resources guiding users from information to services are rare and nonexistent for the Appalachian population specifically.
I identified that many mental health resources from adjacent competitors are geared toward clinicians rather than the average person. While provider directories exist, such as those within insurance plans, they are often separate from educational content. Telehealth guidance is typically siloed from both.
Competitor websites use calming base colors with warm accents. They prioritized readability with legible fonts and usability through clear navigation and prominent search bars. Messaging emphasizes practicality and family values, as seen on one hospital website, which featured phrases such as “Caring Like Family”.
2. Define
From my research, the project concept emerged: a comprehensive journey specifically geared towards rural Appalachian communities, guiding them from learning about to finding support for mental health conditions.
The platform offers in-person resources but centers telehealth as a viable solution, given that research shows openness to telehealth among Appalachian people. However, the research also suggested a need for tutorial features due to lower technological adoption compared with other regions. Interactive tutorials and multimedia components were incorporated to increase usability.
Proto Personas
Proto personas were guided by a combination of Claritas data and insights from the other research sources described. While these proto personas have been created, they will need to be validated in future stages.
Claritas 360 uses large data sets, including Census data, to describe segments within the US. The proto personas were inspired by the Claritas 360 Middle America and Rustic Living segments, which were found to be most relevant. For reference, this Claritas 360 document details all segments and the data sources used to create these groups.
The following factors were evaluated in the creation of the proto personas:
Demographics: Both segments include individuals residing in rural or small-town settings, although Rustic Living communities are slightly more remote. Middle America skews lower-to-middle-class, while Rustic Living leans lower-income.
Behavioral Trends: Both groups face challenges accessing healthcare and have limited technology use, though adoption is slightly higher in Middle America. Shared pastimes include hunting, fishing, and attending community events.
Values: Self-reliance, family, and tradition are core values for both segments. They both prioritize practicality and affordability, are skeptical of outsiders, and prefer culturally relevant and trustworthy products.
Brand Affinities: Both segments are loyal to practical, affordable brands. Key strategies include clear, value-driven branding, welcoming design, and community-oriented messaging.
Carol and John are heavily based on the Middle America segment while Samantha and Mark are more aligned with the Rustic Living segment. A variety of age groups are represented, and specific needs vary based on each person’s experience, but shared values are similar.
Sitemap
Aside from the foundational pages, i.e., the homepage, about, and contact pages, project specific pages include the following:
Patient Educational Resources: A section with links to various informational pages, including:
Overview of Mental Health and Treatments: General information on mental health care.
Specific Conditions: Pages focused on conditions, including Depression and Substance Use Disorder, as these were identified as priority for this population.
Screenings: Tools for self-assessment of Depression and Substance Use Disorder which can be printed and shared with providers.
Telehealth Information: A resource to provide guidance on using telehealth services for those new to the experience.
Peer Support Groups: Information on available support groups.
Directory: A searchable list of mental health resources. This includes both local and telehealth resources, to expand access.
The user experience is focused primarily on educational content with an included directory to make the journey actionable.
Project Requirements
Project requirements were developed in consideration of usability, accessibility, and performance standards. Clear navigational structures, multimedia support, and user walkthroughs are intended to enhance usability. The platform is optimized for accessibility, meeting AA WCAG standards at all times, and AAA standards wherever possible.
Please see this document for the complete list of requirements.
3. Design
I used Figma to create wireframes as well as the high-fidelity prototype of the solution.
Design Strategies
The design uses a straightforward layout with consistently prominent navigation is for simplicity and ease of use. Practical and community-oriented messaging is used throughout the platform to reflect Appalachian values of familiarity, respect, and authenticity.
The design offers optional support and emphasizes user choice and control with a unique feature: an ever-present help module that can be accessed on any page. This optimizes the platform for users who may need additional support without requiring it for a positive experience.
Finally, I used visual strategies such as bullet points and multimedia (e.g., video content) to make information more digestible and accessible.
Wireframes
Style Tile
I paired salient orange accent colors alongside calming blue tones to make the solution appear friendly, yet approachable. The mountains in the logo reinforce Appalachian messaging.
I selected Helvetica, given the legibility of this font, and optimized font sizes for diverse audiences. I also chose to use real pictures with a bright and natural photography style, to contribute to the approachable and realistic overall feel.
4. Prototype
The prototype is designed to simulate a prospective user’s journey while using AppalachiaCare. It includes steps such as accessing educational resources and using the directory to seek care. The navigation and onboarding modals provide as much support as needed without being obtrusive.
Given the time frame of this project and available tools, it wasn’t possible to set up a functional directory for all communities within Appalachia. For this reason, I selected the town of Logan, OH to demonstrate directory functionality. As an Ohio native, I felt this community was appropriate, as it is in the heart of Appalachia but is connected enough to both local and telehealth resources for simulation.
Please visit the link to full prototype.
Note: Prompts are built into the design for unmoderated viewing. However, these would be removed for moderated usability testing.
Home Screen with Onboarding
The AppalachiaCare platform is designed with built-in onboarding for assistance. However, users are not required to interact with this element to use the platform.
This onboarding tutorial can be activated on any page, by clicking the orange “Click here for help” button. This allows users to have as much support as they would like throughout their journey.
Telehealth Guidance
Research indicates that telehealth can address rural mental healthcare needs. Many remote residents open to using it but some people may require additional information and support.
This guide is an optional resource intended to support users who require more guidance on telehealth. It has a written step-by-step guide, as well as embedded video resources, to provide multimodal support.
Downloadable Screenings
The prototype includes pages on mental health conditions, which redirect to research-backed screenings for mental health conditions. Users can complete these screenings to gain further insight on their symptoms, then download a copy of the screening results to share with providers.
One pain point identified through research is that many individuals in this population would like to seek help, but are unsure where to start; the results page lists actionable steps to guide users.
Community Directory
The directory is designed to help users find local and remote mental health professionals. This includes filters for resource type (e.g., clinic, hospital), distance, and virtual vs. in-person offerings.
This demo walks through the process of finding support for an individual residing in Logan, OH. It uses the distance and telehealth offering filters. The results update in real-time as filters are applied.
Note: All listings in the directory were sourced from SERPs.
4. Testing
A limitation of this project is that I was not permitted to test it with users. However, if this project were to continue to progress, usability testing would be the first priority before initiating development.
The prototype is optimized for user testing, and I made efforts to evaluate functionality using the following methods:
Screen Size Testing: I adjusted the window to ensure responsiveness across desktop screen sizes (1280px - 1920px).
Functional Usability Verification: I tested the navigation menu, tutorial modal, and all buttons and filters within the solution. Buttons and multimedia content (e.g., video play, pause, restart controls) functioned as intended, with page redirects occurring at the appropriate times.
Accessibility Testing: I verified that the solution met at least AA-level compliance with WCAG standards by incorporating large-scale text (18px or larger), high-contrast color ratios (4.5:1 or greater), and icons (24px or larger). Consistent and plain language was used throughout the platform to make it is easy to understand by broad audiences.
Interactive Flow Testing: Interactive elements were set with specific delays (three seconds for screening results, five seconds for redirects) to simulate a realistic flow. I also added pop-up modals for unmoderated viewing, which was necessary for my professor who was reviewing the project asynchronously.
Lessons Learned and Future Directions
Successes
A key aspect of this project was working within constraints to address a social issue in a novel way. Developing AppalachiaCare enhanced my research and design skills while applying creative problem-solving to overcome challenges.
I also improved my Figma skills by exploring technical features and using plug-ins to enhance workflows and interactivity. As required by the course, I brainstormed strategies for transitioning the project from design to development, though I did not undertake this directly.
Challenges
The lack of primary user research, especially usability testing, was also a significant challenge. I had to think creatively when researching.
It was a challenge to select project scope and consequently I had to modify it after work had already begun. However, this led to the development of new time and project management strategies.
Future Enhancements
Persona validation, usability testing, and priority iterations: Specifically, I would conduct interviews to validate personas, and usability testing to gather insights on the initial design from the target audience. Priority iterations would then occur. This is very high priority and would occur before any of the next steps outlined.
Professional collaboration: To ensure that accurate information is being provided, collaborating with mental health professionals for medical review would be needed.
Community leadership collaboration: Working with community stakeholders would be essential to build trust, improve the solution, and create actionable plans for promoting and implementing it.
Increased reach: As described, I used the town of Logan, OH, to simulate the directory's functionality. The directory could be expanded by collecting and standardizing provider data from additional Appalachian towns in a scalable database to support real-time zip code-based searches.
Development and deployment: There are several ways to achieve this, ideally through collaboration with a development team. A development team could design and implement a scalable provider directory database, deploy the site, and optimize system performance.