Design for maternal health: collaborating with medical staff to facilitate community-centred and continuous maternity care

Abstract

The increase in health complications and poor birth outcomes associated with adolescent pregnancies in South Africa has become a matter of national concern. Therefore, the provision of youth-friendly, empathic, continuous, effective communication and engagement in antenatal care (ANC) services is essential to reduce pregnancy-related health risks. The present study outlines the development of context-specific visual materials to serve this purpose within the context of Promosa Community Health Centre (CHC), a primary healthcare clinic situated in the North-West Province. This is done within various theoretical frameworks, including that of human-centred design (HCD) and action research, using an adapted design thinking model. Medical staff members at Promosa CHC were consulted as part of the research, conceptualisation, and design process in order to construct a thick description from an emic perspective of the context in which the graphic design solution would function. The resulting in safe hands kit presented here, serves as a potential solution to the ANC communication challenges faced by staff at Promosa CHC.