Co-designing DESI-Heart: Conversational agent based self-care intervention for people with cardiovascular disease

BackgroundCardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and in Australia. Although self-care is essential for CVD management, many individuals face barriers such as complex treatment regimens, limited health literacy, and lack of culturally appropriate support. Conversational agents (CAs) offer a promising solution by providing AI-driven, voice-based support that enables human-like interaction. However, most existing CAs primarily target mainstream populations, overlooking the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse communities. This study aimed to co-design and develop Diaspora Engaged Self-care Intervention (DESI-Heart), a culturally tailored CA to support self-care among individuals with CVDs from the Indian diaspora in Australia.MethodsA participatory co-design study was conducted with members of the Indian diaspora in Australia living with Three online workshops were conducted using established design methods, including the 'think-aloud' approach, 'bento-box reflections', and the 'MoSCoW' method, to capture user preferences and inform culturally responsive intervention features. Workshop recordings were transcribed and thematically analysed using NVivo.ResultsOverall, the study included 15 individuals (aged ≥18 years) and identified six themes identified through the co-design process, which informed the design and key features of the DESI-Heart program. The themes included: (1) cultural context of self-care and unique ideas for the DESI-Heart program, (2) medication management features, (3) culturally appropriate dietary support, (4) physical activity support, (5) mental wellbeing support, and (6) user experience and implementation considerations.ConclusionsThis study provided insights into the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse populations, helping address cultural and linguistic barriers and inform the development and feasibility testing of the DESI-Heart program.