Journal Article

Designing and Evaluating a Prototype of a Trilingual Data Collection Tool for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region to Collect Data About Violence Against Sex Workers: Multiple Methods Approach in User-Centered Design

Florez-Arango, Jose Fernando, Ditmore, Melissa, El Karouaoui, Amal

2025

Overview

Sex workers face an epidemic of violence around the world. However, violence against sex workers (VASW) is underreported, and sex workers hesitate to report to the police because they are frequently punished; therefore, an alternative for reporting is needed. Sex workers also face stigmatization from health care workers, further discouraging help-seeking behavior or reporting in health care facilities. Sex workers have been recipients of services from nongovernmental organizations, typically related to HIV and sexual transmission of infections, but violence remains underaddressed. This study aims to apply human-centered design methods to adapt ReportVASW for use in the Middle East and North Africa and to evaluate the usability of the prototype interface and identify opportunities for improvement. Evaluation methods included cognitive walkthrough and System Usability Scale by 9 potential end users, and heuristic evaluation by 2 informatics professionals and 2 service providers. This study explores ways to improve the trilingual prototype of ReportVASW, with particular attention to ways to improve the data collection tool. Multiple methods identified multiple issues to address. Heuristic analysis revealed 2 serious issues to address, with scores over 2.5 out of 4 in the tool used. The most serious problems identified in heuristic analysis were related to language, particularly the Arabic version. Translation issues were addressed before end user testing. End users were enthusiastic about the idea of a mobile tool to document VASW, provided it led to change. They gave ReportVASW a System Usability Scale of 91.4, above the 68 considered good. Even as end users were enthusiastic, they offered suggestions for improvement. Many opportunities to improve the interface were identified. Most changes are not overly complex, and the majority involve adapting the language used and improving the translation. Development of the trilingual ReportVASW data collection tool for the Middle East and North Africa region is worth pursuing.

• Publisher: JMIR Publications
• Subject: Adaptation / Adult / Africa, Northern / Behavioural Surveillance for Public Health / Criminal investigations / Data collection / Data Collection - methods / End users / Female / Formative Evaluation of Digital Health Interventions / Heuristic / Heuristics and Problem-Solving in Usability Evaluations / Human Factors and Usability Case Studies / Humans / Informatics / Information communication / Information sharing / Language / Literature reviews / Male / mHealth for Data Collection and Research / Middle East / Original Paper / Pilot Studies (Non-Ehealth) / Post traumatic stress disorder / Risky Sexual Behavior / Sex industry / Sex Workers - psychology / Sex Workers - statistics & numerical data / Software / Task analysis / Telemedicine / Translations / Usability of Apps and User Perceptions of mHealth / Usability testing / User-centered design / Victimization / Violence / Violence - statistics & numerical data / Violence including Domestic Violence/Abuse