Toward Empathetic mHealth Design for Pediatric Scoliosis: A User-Centered Inquiry

Abstract

This paper presents the early stages of a design inquiry exploring what young individuals managing scoliosis actually struggle with, and how we might design digital tools to better support them. Idiopathic scoliosis affects approximately 1.7% of the global pediatric population, yet current tools available to children for understanding and managing their condition are often limited in scope, accessibility, and age-appropriateness. Rather than starting with a predefined technical solution, this research was guided by an open question: What do these young patients need? To address this, we adopted a multi-method qualitative approach including surveys (N=5), semi-structured interviews (N=10), heuristic evaluations of six existing scoliosis apps conducted by two UX practitioners, and card-sorting exercises (N=4) with participants representing diverse age ranges and condition severities. Several key themes emerged: late diagnosis, lack of clear educational resources, social stigma, insufficient emotional support, and confusion about treatment pathways. Notably, many participants had never used scoliosis-related apps, and existing apps failed to incorporate usability principles tailored for younger users, often presenting content in overly technical language lacking emotional resonance. Based on these findings, we proposed an early-stage mHealth prototype with five core areas directly addressing the uncovered themes—including features like facial blurring for privacy and simplified language for younger users. Preliminary usability testing (N=3) provided initial feedback for refinement. This paper does not claim a finalized solution, but rather contributes to design-led research by documenting how a user-centered approach can guide the development of more empathetic and accessible digital health tools for pediatric scoliosis populations.

Keywords: Scoliosis, mHealth for Teens, Mental Models

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1006980