Determining design requirement and feasibility of a culturally relevant digital intervention to increase breast health awareness and promote healthy eating and physical activities among Black African women in the UK

Black African women in the UK are being invited to help design a digital tool that could teach them how to spot breast cancer early and adopt healthier diets and exercise habits. This matters because Black African women are diagnosed with breast cancer at younger ages and later stages than white women in the UK, yet existing health apps and awareness campaigns rarely reflect their cultural backgrounds, food preferences, or community norms. The researchers—led by Afrodita Marcu and Nyangi—are running a baseline project to determine what such an intervention should look like, who should deliver it, and whether women would actually use it. If the feasibility study succeeds, the team will apply for larger funding to build and test the web-based intervention. A culturally relevant tool could close the gap in breast health awareness and lifestyle behaviours for a group currently underserved by mainstream health promotion. The project does not yet produce or evaluate the intervention itself; it gathers the preliminary data and design guidance needed to make that next step possible.