From www.monash.edu - December 21, 2025 12:02 AM

"Digital health tools hold enormous promise. For pregnant women and new mothers navigating the physical and emotional challenges of the perinatal period, websites and apps offer the potential for instant support, accessible information, and a vital connection to care. In theory, these resources should break down barriers, providing a lifeline to women anytime, anywhere.


 


However, for many migrant women, this digital promise is not being met. Instead of building bridges, these tools can inadvertently erect new walls, reinforcing feelings of isolation and exclusion at a time when support is most critical. These failures are not just about cultural missteps; they are symptoms of a digital health ecosystem that overlooks the complex social and structural realities—from digital literacy gaps to the profound need for privacy—that shape a migrant mother's life.


 


New research led by Monash University researchers including Dr. Areni Altun, Dr. Rochelle Hine, Professor Andred Deussens, Dr Levita D'Souza, Professor Helen Skouteris and Associate Professor Jacqueline A. Boyle, reveals significant systemic barriers limiting the uptake of digital mental health tools among migrant women. The qualitative study of Chinese, Arabic, and Indian-language speaking mothers in Australia provides powerful, and often surprising, insights into why. By listening to their lived experiences, we can see exactly where well- intentioned digital design goes wrong. Here are the top five most impactful takeaways from their stories.


 


Takeaway 1: By the Time Help Arrives, It's Already Too Late


One of the most consistent findings was a critical mismatch in timing. Digital mental health resources are typically introduced to women postpartum, a period when new mothers are physically exhausted, emotionally overwhelmed, and consumed with caring for a newborn. Compounding this, many participants noted that after childbirth, the healthcare system’s focus shifts almost exclusively to the infant, leaving their own wellbeing unaddressed.


 


One mother articulated this frustrating reality perfectly:


 


"Because after delivery you’re not going to actually use those [websites], you really don’t have the time. I guess when you’re pregnant, I remember I had a good pregnancy, if I was given those resources at that time, I would have sat and read. I would have gone through those websites, I would have at least known.” (Indian Focus Group C).


 


This is a profound "missed opportunity" in the healthcare system. The ideal time to introduce these resources is during pregnancy, when women are actively seeking information and have more capacity to engage. By waiting until after birth, the system fails to provide support when it is most likely to be effective.


 


Takeaway 2: Language Access Is Often an Illusion


While some digital health platforms offer translated content, participants revealed that this access is frequently an illusion. The good intention is to offer multilingual support. The reality is a design that makes this support functionally invisible, rendering the intention meaningless. Language selection tools are often hidden behind unintuitive icons or buried in menus, making them nearly impossible to find for someone who cannot already read English.


 


A participant described the design failure on one prominent website:


 


“This website …my observation is about the language selection. It's not obvious to select Chinese language and you have to find this icon, that looks like a globe... But for someone who does not understand English we cannot read or speak English, it’s very difficult or inconvenient to find the language selection menu. It could feel inaccessible or too complex.” (Chinese Focus Group B).


 


This isn't a minor UX issue; it is a gatekeeping mechanism that locks out vulnerable users before they even begin. The consequences are significant: the study found that when faced with inaccessible local resources, women often default to health websites from their home countries, driving them toward information that may be irrelevant to the Australian healthcare context. It is a failure of digital hospitality at the most fundamental level.


 


Takeaway 3: "Inclusive" Imagery Can Feel Tokenistic and Erode Trust


Authentic representation is crucial for building trust, yet the well-intentioned goal of ‘inclusive’ marketing often backfires when it relies on tokenism. Participants observed a stark contrast between the "relatable, like someone next door" Caucasian women and the inauthentic depiction of women from their own backgrounds.


 


This powerful quote highlights the disconnect:


 


“The Caucasian women look relatable, like someone next door. The CALD women don’t always feel authentic. When they use faces of CALD women... they use supermodels... not relatable” (Indian Individual Interview).


 


But the problem runs deeper than unrelatable faces. Participants expressed a desire for imagery that demystifies an unfamiliar system, showing what help actually looks like, who provides it, and where it happens. This failure in representation sends a clear message that users are not truly seen or understood. To foster a genuine connection, digital resources must use imagery that reflects the reality of everyday mothers and visually explains how to access care.


 


Takeaway 4: When 'Professional' Design Feels Like a Funeral


This study uncovered a surprising and critical insight: seemingly neutral design choices can carry deeply negative cultural associations. A clean, "clinical" colour palette of grey and white, often used to convey professionalism, was perceived very differently by some participants from a Chinese background.


 


As one woman explained, the colours evoked a powerful and unintended negative feeling:


 


“...if you’re looking at black and white, sometime in Chinese culture, we use black and white in funerals. So … it’s not very culturally sensitive to us because when I was looking at that I was thinking about a negative thought.” (Chinese Focus Group A).


 


This finding underscores the vital importance of cultural humility in design. What is considered calming or professional in one cultural context may be stressful, inappropriate, or even frightening in another. Without deep cultural understanding, even the most well-intentioned design can inadvertently alienate the very people it is meant to support.


 


Takeaway 5: The Smartphone Is More Than a Convenience—It's a Safe Space


For many migrant women, the primary value of using a smartphone to access health information is not just convenience—it is privacy and emotional safety. Phones offer a discreet way to learn about sensitive topics like mental health, which is crucial in cultural contexts where stigma may be high or within shared family homes where privacy is limited.


 


The power of this discretion was summed up perfectly by one participant:


 


“Mobile is... more discreet. Just hit the button and the screen is black” (Chinese Individual Interview).


 


This insight reframes mobile-first design from a technical choice to a vital feature for user safety and empowerment. However, this safe space is not available to everyone. The study makes it clear that owning a device does not equate to being connected or confident. Significant barriers related to the cost of data, inconsistent internet access, and varying levels of digital literacy prevent many women from benefiting at all, potentially widening the equity gap for the most marginalized mothers.


 


Conclusion: Building Digital Bridges, Not Just Websites


The experiences of these women reveal a clear and consistent theme: good intentions are not enough. The evidence is clear: designing for migrant mothers cannot be an afterthought. It requires a fundamental shift from ‘translate and tolerate’ to ‘co-design and celebrate.’ Creating effective digital health tools demands deep cultural understanding, genuine community partnership, and thoughtful integration into trusted healthcare pathways.


 


We must demand that digital health equity becomes a non-negotiable metric of success for any tool that claims to support maternal health. As digital tools become central to healthcare, how can we ensure they are built not just to be looked at, but to be truly seen by every mother they are meant to serve?"


https://www.monash.edu/medicine/news/latest/2025-articles/beyond-translation-why-digital-health-tools-are-failing-new-migrant-mums


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