Supervisors:
Shivani Prakash & Erlend Grimeland
Pain is a subjective and complex experience that no one else can feel but yourself. The GP consultation is therefore a particularly demanding context, where diffuse pain meets a system that requires concrete descriptions. Many people find that their GP doesn't truly see or hear them when they try to communicate their pain. This can lead to eroded trust, poorer treatment, and greater health inequalities
The project is grounded in the following brief: How can we as designers create a more equitable dialogue when female patients with minority backgrounds communicate pain during GP consultations?
Based on three identified barriers, we have developed three digital tools that integrate into Helsenorge and are used before, during, and after the consultation:
Smertedagboken (The Pain Diary) gives women a low-threshold entry point for logging their pain and gaining an overview of connections and patterns over time.
Veiviseren (The Guide) functions as a framework to ensure that the appointment is spent on what matters most to the woman.
Sjekk-inn (Check-In) gives her the opportunity to reflect and flag any gaps or needs post consultation., and thereby take an active role in the ongoing dialogue with her GP.
Together, the tools shift the power balance in the consultation and make the patient an active participant in the conversation about her own health. By strengthening the conditions for communication, the GP gets a more complete picture of the patient's situation. The consultation becomes more precise, and the chances of an accurate assessment and treatment increase.
Contact
Ishita Chawla
ishita@hotmail.no / +4791569935 / https://ishitachawla.no/
Martine Braathen
martine.braathen@icloud.com / +4793833555 / https://www.martinebraathen.com/