Table of Contents
Overview
Timeline
May 2021 - April 2022
Thesis Advisors
Prof. Kate Hartman
Dr. Kathy Moscou
Outcomes
Prototype
Thesis Paper
Keywords
HIV/AIDS, Pillbox design, Wearable Technology
Medication-taking can be a very private affair for individuals. Adhering successfully to a medication regimen is vital for having a positive outcome on an individual’s health, yet non-adherence remains an issue. Pillboxes are meant to support patients with adherence especially for serious illnesses like HIV/AIDS for which regular medication-taking is necessary. Stigma is often overlooked as a barrier when pillbox design solutions are taken into consideration.
Pill Assist In Use
Research Question
Main Research Question
How might design and wearable technology be utilized to help people with a stigmatizing condition, such as HIV/AIDS improve medication adherence in a Ghanaian context?
The objective of this thesis is:
To explore possible improvements to the design of medication adherence products to respond to the needs of different demographics and medical patients.
PillBox Design Challenges
The research question focuses on exploring a solution for the challenges below:
Discrete
Existing medication adherence products are mostly in the form of pill bottles or container boxes. These make them easily identifiable reducing the privacy of medication-taking.
Integration
Current solutions are not integrated into items that people already carry with them making it difficult to incorporate into their daily lifestyle
Personalize
One-sized fits solutions
Methodologies
Methodology
Research Through Design
Health Design Thinking
Methods
Prototyping
Research
User Research
Personas
User Research Key Findings
Challenges
Opportunities
Literature Review