Black women in the UK are being left out of sexual and reproductive healthcare as services shift online, and this project will map exactly how and why that exclusion happens. The rapid digitalisation of the NHS—booking appointments via apps, remote consultations, online test results—assumes everyone has equal access and comfort with technology. But Black women already face higher rates of health inequalities driven by socio-economic factors and racial discrimination. No one has yet systematically studied whether digital healthcare widens or narrows those gaps. This project fills that gap by gathering the experiences of around 140 Black women across the Midlands and London through arts-based workshops, World Café discussions, Photovoice, and a survey available both online and on paper. If successful, the research will produce a report for public health commissioners with community-driven solutions for reducing disparities in digital sexual and reproductive services. It will also generate a peer-reviewed publication and lay the groundwork for future intervention studies. The immediate impact is practical: commissioners will have concrete evidence on where digital systems fail Black women and how to redesign them for inclusion. This is applied, not fundamental, research—its value lies in directly informing policy and service design.
View original technical description
Research Question: How has the digitalisation of healthcare impacted Black women’s experiences of race-related health inequalities in sexual and reproductive prevention, services and care? Background: The project will identify and understand in more detail how the transfer to an increased digital approach to sexual and reproductive healthcare includes or excludes Black women in accessing prevention, services and care. Still to be identified are the potential impacts of healthcare digitalisation on communities already disconnected and/or disadvantaged from many healthcare services, due to a variety of socio-economic determinants and racial discrimination. With a detailed understanding, we will review our findings and develop further intervention strategies (to be evaluated in follow up studies) on how to reduce barriers to Black communities having a positive experience with transitions into digital healthcare. Aims & Objectives: Our aim is to conduct a mixed-method mapping and scoping exercise on the inclusion and exclusion experiences of Black women’s sexual and reproductive healthcare as a direct result of the transformation into digital approaches to prevention, services and care in the UK through community involvement. This will be achieved through a series of community involvement activities and explored further through the survey dissemination and analysis of findings through thematic analysis. Methods: The project will use a variety of research methods to engage with Black women in a range of community spaces. Capturing of experiences will be achieved through arts based activities, World Café style activities and Photovoice methods. Additionally, from initial research and professional experience, a survey will be designed to gather further insight into the experiences of Black women. The survey will be accessible digitally and made available as a paper-based form to avoid possible exclusions in taking part in health research. The survey will be disseminated to Black women as part of the involvement activities and released digitally in Black women’s digital spaces. Timelines for delivery: The project will commence on 1st June 2025 and run for 12 months. During this time, we will conduct 10 engagement activities with approximately 140 members of the public. A survey will also be designed and disseminated by month 3 and left open during the involvement activities so that, experiences can also be gained via this methods from the group participants. Anticipated impact and dissemination: The outcomes for this project include; a project report aimed at public health commissioners. The report aims to contribute to existing literature on health inequalities and will provide community-driven solutions for reducing disparities in public health interventions. In addition a peer reviewed publication will be submitted to the NIHR library for other researchers use as guidance in similar projects. Being a development grant award, the project will also dedicate time to support further grant development from co-applicants, collaborators and community practitioners on similar research on health inequalities, or engaging with Black women.
Plain English summaries and category classifications on this site are generated by AI and may not perfectly reflect the original research.
Is something wrong? Let us know