Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42638678›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in global women's health2026

Missing from the data, missing from the design: feminist co-design for equitable hormonal contraception symptom tracking.

Rachael Hughson-Gill, Chloe Curtis, Lisa Iversen, Catie Varley, Abigail Needham, Rebecca L Mawson

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in global women's health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Rachael Hughson-GillCollege of Health and Science, Lincoln Institute for Rural and Coastal Health, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, United Kingdom.
Chloe CurtisSchool of Anthropology & Museum Ethnography, Institute of Social & Cultural Anthropology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Lisa IversenAcademic Primary Care, Institute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom.
Catie VarleyCentre for Regional Economic and Social Research, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, United Kingdom.
Abigail NeedhamNIHR HealthTech Research Centre (HRCs), Sheffield Teaching Hospital, Devices for Dignity, The NIHR HRC in Long Term Conditions, Sheffield, United Kingdom.
Rebecca L MawsonPrimary Care Research Group, School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Hormonal contraception is used by millions globally, yet side effects remain poorly understood and underrepresented in clinical research and digital health tools. The femtech sector has largely failed to serve marginalised communities, including ethnic minority groups, neurodivergent individuals, and those with lived experience of mental health challenges. This study explored these diverse perspectives through the co-design of T.H.E (The Hormone Effect) app, a digital tool for collecting data on hormonal contraception side effects, to ensure it serves these populations and enables the generation of more diverse and representative datasets. Methods: Five co-design workshops were conducted in South Yorkshire, UK (May-June 2025), engaging 24 participants across five community groups: a Muslim women's group, a Muslim mums' group, a neurodiversity support group, women with lived experience of mental health challenges, and university students. Participants reviewed a low-fidelity prototype of T.H.E app alongside existing cycle-tracking apps, engaging in facilitated discussion and annotation. Data was analysed using deductive qualitative content analysis. Results: Five themes emerged. Participants called for flexible, inclusive, and trauma-informed data collection, raising concerns about fixed identity categories, clinical language, and the potential harms of existing mental health questionnaires. Trust and transparency were central, with significant concern about data commercialisation and privacy, particularly regarding abortion and pregnancy loss. Language and visual design were identified as key barriers and enablers of engagement. Participants also advocated strongly for reciprocal value through meaningful data visualisation and culturally relevant health information. Discussion: Women's health data collection is an embodied, emotionally experienced, and culturally situated practice. Moving beyond extractive approaches toward transparent, trauma-informed, and user-centred design is essential for equitable digital health technology. Future work should prioritise iterative development of T.H.E app and its integration into clinical pathways to address persistent data gaps in hormonal contraception research.

Indexed as

app developmentco-designdata ethicsequalitiesfemtechhormonal contraceptionintersectionalityunderserved populations

Identifiers

PMID42638678
PMCPMC13500272

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.