Adolescent Voices in Action—Co-Designing Digital Sexual and Reproductive Health Knowledge Translation Interventions: Community-Based Participatory Action Project

Background Adolescents need comprehensive education and resources to promote their sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and make informed decisions about their SRH. However, many adolescents fail to secure an opportunity to learn accurate and reliable SRH information, as they face sociocultural barriers, fear of prejudice, and societal stigma. Information available on digital platforms may not always be evidence-based and can further spread misinformation. Digital knowledge translation interventions that provide evidence-based SRH information in North America are limited. Objective This study aimed to co-design a digital knowledge translation intervention, reflective of adolescents’ voices, to provide evidence-based, accessible, and accurate SRH resources. Methods We conducted a large multisite project across 3 cities in Canada. Using a community-based participatory approach and principles of human-centered design, we established adolescent advisory groups (AAGs) to actively engage them in the design, development, and implementation of the intervention. Results A total of 26 participants were recruited from Edmonton, Vancouver, and Toronto to be part of the advisory groups. AAG members participated in design-thinking sessions to brainstorm ideas for website design, identify informational needs for content development, provide iterative feedback on the design of the intervention, and suggest strategies to improve engagement and interaction. With their input, 6 priority areas were identified to develop SRH resources (ie, puberty, menstruation, sexually transmitted infections, healthy relationships, sexual assault, and contraception). Their feedback informed the design’s language, visual appeal, and engagement factors. To promote meaningful engagement of AAGs at each step, we used strategies such as gamification activities, group discussions, and flexible scheduling, resulting in high retention and ownership of the process among AAG members. Conclusions Co-designing with adolescents strengthened the intervention’s cultural relevance, youth-friendliness, and credibility. Our process emphasizes the significance of involving adolescents in co-designing SRH interventions, which results in more meaningful, long-term, and youth-friendly solutions.