Smartphone applications are one of the most approachable and affordable technologies. With satellite and cellular data development, almost 60% of the world population has access to the Internet, and more than 92% use it via mobile devices. I would like to introduce the app “Peanut” – the social network designed to help and unite women exclusively, as a technology aimed at fighting postpartum depression in African American Women.
My evaluation of the technology
Audience for the technology are women of different ages and from specific social and racial groups. Working partly as a social network, the app helps connect women who were or are in similar life or medical situations. There are categories for women on every stage of the journey of motherhood: from trying to conceive to going through menopause. Therefore, using the “Peanut” app, African American women can be matched with mothers of the same or different ethnicity who might have successfully fought postpartum depression and get valuable tips and recommendations.
The app mainly benefits mental health through the constant support of women in the same or similar situation. Even though the focus is on mental and emotional help, there is plenty of educational information and materials on physical women’s health. It helps to avoid perceiving motherhood as lonely and/or depressing occurrence. Every mother can safely share her negative or overwhelming experience without being judged or shunned in the app. Among the reasons for the development of postpartum depression may be feeling of isolation and loneliness. African American mothers may face feelings of exclusion, and the app’s user-matching algorithms can help with that.
The “Peanut” app is absolutely free to use for every woman and can be installed on both Android and iOS operated smartphones. Moreover, it even has a fund that supplies investments for usually excluded groups of founders.
“Peanut” can offer many valuable functions for African American women battling postpartum depression. There are a lot of different channels of communication, such as chats or video chats, and the possibility to take part in live audio support groups or listen to them without participating. Users can receive expert advice, share their own stories, and ask questions anonymously to avoid embarrassment or awkwardness. At the same time, users can mute irrelevant or triggering topics. Groups are created based on common issues, experiences, and even locations, allowing participants to meet in real life. The application does not have any advertisements, and it adds to the feeling of a safe environment. It is important to stress that such technology cannot substitute professional medical help for fair judgment. However, it still has excellent value due to the wide range of educational materials and emotional support.
Why I chose this technology
It is accessible, easy to navigate, and free for its users. The application creates a protective and supportive environment for African American women to help fight postpartum depression through social and emotional connections.
Social network mechanisms are typical and habitual for most modern users. The application offers a simple and pretty design and a high-quality user experience, from creating a profile to addressing any issues through creating a discussion or group. “Peanut” launched in 2017, and in five years, it has proved its effectiveness while providing a safe and helpful virtual community for millions of women.
References
Halsall D. (2020) Using technology to combat postpartum depression.The Jamaica Gleaner. Web.
McKay FH, Cheng C, Wright A, Shill J, Stephens H, Uccellini M. (2018) Evaluating mobile phone applications for health behavior change: A systematic review. J Telemed Telecare, 24(1):22-30.