BMJ InnovationsPub Date : 2022-01-01DOI: 10.1136/bmjinnov-2021-000739
E. Harris, K. Shelley, Thenjiwe Sisimayi, Catherine Wandie, Cal Bruns
{"title":"Transforming the once-a-day pill for HIV prevention from medicine to empowering self-care using human-centred design in Zimbabwe","authors":"E. Harris, K. Shelley, Thenjiwe Sisimayi, Catherine Wandie, Cal Bruns","doi":"10.1136/bmjinnov-2021-000739","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjinnov-2021-000739","url":null,"abstract":"Objective For adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub-Saharan Africa, oral tenofovir‐based pre‐exposure prophylaxis (commonly referred to as PrEP) provides a user-controlled HIV prevention method, critical to addressing their HIV risk and unmet prevention needs. Addressing the gap between clinical and real-world PrEP efficacy requires new approaches, such as ‘V’. ‘V’ reframes PrEP from medicine to self-care that is as easy to use as a young women’s favourite fashion or beauty brand. This article describes how human-centred design (HCD) was used to adapt the ‘V’ brand and service delivery strategy for implementation in Zimbabwe from its development via formative research in South Africa. Methods Following literature review, stakeholder analysis and landscaping, the ‘V’ brand and service delivery strategy were assessed through participatory immersion sessions with 152 participants in four Zimbabwe districts. Insights were synthesised across learning questions: What do AGYW and health workers think about ‘V’?; Which of the ‘V’ materials are most acceptable and relevant for Zimbabwe?; What adaptations are necessary for the selected ‘V’ materials for Zimbabwe?; and How should the selected ‘V’ assets be integrated? Results The ‘V’ innovative design principles—delightfully bold branding, a discreet starter kit and user-friendly materials that put young women in control of educating others—remained resonant. Feasible modifications were identified to adapt the ‘V’ brand and service delivery strategy to suit the local context. Conclusion ‘V’ delivers a ‘delightfully discreet’ approach that puts AGYW in charge of preventing HIV. The resonance of the core ‘V’ design concepts demonstrates how HCD can be applied to reframe PrEP as a product category (ie, from a stigmatising medicine to empowering self-care).","PeriodicalId":53454,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Innovations","volume":"69 1","pages":"29 - 36"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85798590","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BMJ InnovationsPub Date : 2021-12-03DOI: 10.1136/bmjinnov-2021-000790
G. Messina, D. Amodeo, A. Corazza, N. Nante, G. Cevenini
{"title":"Analysis of the physical and microbiocidal characteristics of an emerging and innovative UV disinfection technology","authors":"G. Messina, D. Amodeo, A. Corazza, N. Nante, G. Cevenini","doi":"10.1136/bmjinnov-2021-000790","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjinnov-2021-000790","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction Surface disinfection is one of the key points to reduce the risk of transmission both in healthcare and other public spaces. A novel UV-chip disinfection technology is presented. Technological, photonic and microbiocidal characteristics are evaluated taking as reference an ultraviolet-C (UV-C) LED source of equivalent radiant power. Methods The UV chip has a circular radiating surface with a diameter of 1.3 cm, emitting UV cold light at about 5 mW and driven current of about 80 µA. Four bacterial strains were used to conduct the microbiological tests at 4°C and 60°C to evaluate the bactericidal performance of the two technologies under the same operating conditions. Results Spectral differences were found between the UV-C LED and the chip, with an emission curve strictly around 280 nm and a broader band centred around 264 nm, respectively. Between-technology microbiological inactivation levels were comparable, achieving total abatement (99.999%) in 8 min at 7.5 cm. Discussion The UV chip exhibits unique properties that make it applicable in some specific contexts, where UV-C LEDs present the most critical issues. Besides, it is portable and exhibits a broad spectrum of UV wavelengths with a peak where the maximum microbiocidal efficacy occurs. Important issues to be addressed to improve this technology are the high voltage management and the too low energy efficiency. Conclusion This cold emission technology is virtually unaffected by changes in ambient temperature and is particularly useful in short-distance applications. Recent developments in technology are moving towards a progressive increase in the chip’s radiant power.","PeriodicalId":53454,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Innovations","volume":"54 1","pages":"21 - 28"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87765120","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}