The African American/Black (AA/B) older adult population is projected to triple and will account for 12.8% of older adults by 2060. Additionally, they are disproportionately affected by chronic conditions such as dementia (up to twice), hypertension (75% versus between 40-55% for White men and women), and diabetes (13.2% versus 7.6% Whites in one study). Risk factors such as lack of access to healthcare, education, transportation, and living in distressed neighborhoods in minority communities (i.e., social determinants of health) have led to poor health outcomes and health inequities.

One approach using community health workers (CHWs) shows effectiveness across multiple settings and chronic conditions for bridging the gaps in health disparities by building trust, improving screening and referral processes, and expanding communication and health information delivery to AA/B older adults. However, scaling effective CHW programs through continuous enrollment and engagement of AA/B older adults needs to be improved to address the increasing caseloads and limited funding. We propose an innovative platform called Expanding Research and Recruitment by Engaging Adults through Community Health Workers (eREACH) that supports CHWs in the process of screening and referral and engages AA/B older adults in local health services, clinical trials, and health events. Innovative features of eREACH include an electronic screening process, an integrated patient dashboard, microlearning education, and enhanced communication via a virtual agent named “Reggie”.

We have successfully developed the first iteration of high-fidelity wireframes of eREACH for AA/B older adults. To take our design to the next level, we are looking to collaborate with SpringBoard designers to leverage our recent findings from focus groups with the target users to (1) enhance and finalize high-fidelity wireframes and (2) transform them into interactive wireframes for user testing and development.

1. Analyze, troubleshoot, and refine the existing high-fidelity wireframes for AA/B older adults based on research findings and the team’s feedback
2. Provide alternative design system, including style guides and allow the team to preview wireframes in different visual styles
3. Transform high-fidelity wireframes into interactive wireframes

There will be two meetings per week (for a total of 45 min) with Benten staff members, including a project lead and a research assistant to discuss goals for the week, address any questions or concerns, and present deliverables. Information about eREACH, including a detailed description of eREACH project, background, and related research will be shared with the students. Students are welcomed to schedule additional meeting with Benten staff members to enhance their understanding of the project or seek guidance on specific tasks.