An event kit & service design focused on bridging back trust with the underserved black community to increase cancer screening and reduce barriers and healthcare disparity.
MY ROLE
Lead UX Researcher
Product Designer
Project Manager
COLLABORATORS
Andrew Huang
Monica Zhao
Sarah Son
Yi Wang
SKILLS
UX Research
Service Design
Campaign Design
TIMELINE
14 Weeks (Jan-Apr 2025)
Cedars-Sinai
Sponsored Studio
THE PROBLEM
Black individuals experience significantly lower survival rates across almost all cancer types and stages.
WHY IS THIS?
Black individuals face greater socioeconomic barriers to healthcare access as well as reduced trust in medical systems due to discrimination and bias.
Socioeconomic Barriers
Lack of health literacy, health insurance, ability to pay, transportation, child care, and paid time off are common barriers.
Mistrust of Healthcare
There is a lack of trust in the medical community due to historic mistreatment, language barriers, and financial hardships.
THE SOLUTION
An event kit and service design to equip community members to put data into action and increase cancer screenings.
Click on the interactive map to see the different steps of the campaign event.
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Educating with Trusted Messengers
THE PROCESS
Diving into the issue with a subject matter expert.
I led and facilitated an interview with Shauntay Davis-Patterson, MPH, Program Director of the Comprehensive Cancer Control Program at the California Department of Public Health.
SHAUNTAY HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR PREVENTATIVE CARE
“White women have higher incidence rates than black women ... but black women have higher mortality rates in breast cancer. So you see, a lot of white women get diagnosed with cancer, but it gets found early.”
DISPARITIES IN TREATMENT
70-110% higher mortality rates from
prostate cancer (Pca) are seen in Black men compared to white men.
Black men have less access to PCa treatment and experience longer delays between diagnosis and treatment
INSIGHT
Insufficient access to routine preventative care leads to disproportionate effects on how cancer is detected and treated.
HMW
How might we make preventative care services more accessible and convenient for underserved black communities in central and southern LA?
LOOKING TOWARDS EXISTING, WORKING SOLUTIONS
Evidenced-Based Interventions (EBIs): strategies that have been scientifically proven to improve health outcomes.
We referenced the EBI Targeting Cancer in Blacks (TCIB 2005), which offered workshops on preventable cancer risks at HBCUs (Historical Black Colleges or Universities), trusted sources in Black communities.
APPLYING THE EBI TO SOUTHERN LA
So we looked for an HBCU in LA, and we found…
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
"A private university with a public mission" in Willowbrook, California, this HBCU was established to address inadequate medical access in the Watts region and remains closely partnered with MLK Jr. Community Hospital.
GATHERING FIRSTHAND INSIGHTS
Our team conducted field research at CDU to scope out what the campus looks like, what facilities the school has, and what the surrounding community is like.
CONCEPT SPACE
As a team, we got to the drawing board and explored three different ideas on how we could adapt the EBI to use the CDU campus to make preventative care more accessible for underserved black communities in LA.
EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS
Many people are unaware of which cancer screenings they need, when to get them, and why they are important. Workshops provide culturally and linguistically tailored information that helps demystify the screening process, and that screenings are not only for when you are sick.
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM
Even with education and outreach, people often fall through the cracks. An accountability system helps track who has been screened, who hasn’t, and why, making sure no one is left behind.
ON-SITE SCREENING DRIVE
Many people don’t get screened because of transportation issues, long travel times, or lack of nearby clinics. A local screening drive brings cancer screening to where people already are—like churches, schools, or community events.
PITCHING & VALIDATING OUR IDEAS
Cancer Research Assistant at CDU
During our visit, we met Mercedes, who validated our proposed solutions with her insights as a cancer research assistant. She saw the potential of our ideas, and she was on board and ready to put our plans into action!
FINAL DESIGNS
Introducing Prevenity
An event kit & service design focused on bridging back trust with the underserved black community.
Our proposed solution is to partner CDU, and hold an on-site screening drive with an existing campus/alumni event such as the Juneteenth Cookout. The diagram below maps out each step of the service and system we designed to increase cancer screening in this community.
USER JOURNEY:
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Educating with Trusted Messengers
Greg sits in the workshop led by Alumni speakers.
SERVICE BLUEPRINT:
RISK ASSESSMENT
PREVENITY GOODS
KEEPING YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE: FUTURE POSTCARD TO SELF
KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR HEALTH: SCREENING PASSPORT
WHAT I LEARNED
The importance of Evidenced-Based Interventions
As the lead UX researcher, I always had to make sure our ideas aligned with existing and validated EBIs to create informed design solutions that maximize impact, address real barriers to cancer screening, and meet the standards of public health best practices.
NEXT STEPS
Test & Validate our Idea
Continue to validate our ideas with experts and community members from the Watts region.
Build Partnerships
Engage CDU’s community team and alumni, explore local business partnerships