Seminar:
Enhancing Health Information Dissemination for Marginalized Communities through HCI

ABSTRACT

Online communities have emerged as crucial platforms for addressing health disparities among marginalized populations, yet their effectiveness is challenged by digital divides, misinformation, and privacy concerns. My work examines how these digital spaces can better serve underrepresented groups, with a particular focus on individuals with disabilities and people living with dementia or mild cognitive impairments. Through multiple studies published in premier HCI venues, I investigate the dynamics of health information sharing and peer support in online communities. My findings reveal how young caregivers navigate multiple social media platforms to create supportive environments, performing significant "digital care labor" to sustain these communities. I also identify challenges in creating truly inclusive spaces that prioritize vulnerable voices while accommodating diverse user needs. The work extends to developing AI-powered tools that support communication between caregivers and care receivers, while addressing accessibility requirements for various user groups. My contributions include platform-specific strategies for health information dissemination, documentation of invisible community maintenance work, and design recommendations for inclusive digital spaces. This research has significant implications for creating more effective online health communities and demonstrates how thoughtfully designed digital environments can help reduce health disparities among underserved populations. Future directions include developing cross-platform tools to combat misinformation and implementing AI-assisted moderation systems that maintain community authenticity.

Jazette Johnson

University of Washington

Dr. Jazette Johnson is a CREATE postdoctoral fellow at the University of Washington. She received her Ph.D. in Informatics from the University of California - Irvine, her M.S. in Human-Computer Interaction from Vanderbilt University, and her B.S. in Computer Science from Spelman College. Her research focuses on addressing health disparities through digital environments, with particular emphasis on underserved populations. Through her work, published in premier venues such as ACM CSCW and CHI, she investigates how online communities can better serve individuals with disabilities and people living with dementia. Her research contributions have been recognized through several awards, including the Microsoft Ada Love Fellowship.