Abstract
Set against a rapidly evolving health landscape shaped by artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalisation, this research explores the emerging intersection of menstruation, technology, and the everyday politics of the woman’s body. The study examines how these digital period tracking apps are adopted and experienced by women, and within communities where MHM is shaped and practised in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe provides a critical lens for examining how these tools are perceived, adopted, and experienced by women and communities positioned at the periphery of global technological innovation. Between January and March 2025, six focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted at five sites in Harare and Mashonaland East provinces to engage end-users, non-users, health professionals, experts, and community members from rural and urban settings. The findings reveal disparities in technological awareness, access, and adoption along social class divides. Structural barriers such as limited connectivity, infrastructural deficits, and the absence of institutionally moderated transnational technology transfer contribute to low health-seeking behaviours. Privacy concerns, cultural misalignment, and threats to local knowledge systems highlight the potential and precariousness of technological adoption in a regulatory vacuum. Despite these challenges, participants expressed interest and willingness to engage with these tools. In conclusion, while these tools open new possibilities for engagement with the body and health, they must be grounded in deployment communities’ lived realities, norms, and knowledge systems. Supported by responsive policies and inclusive design, these tools can be more effective, culturally appropriate, and socially just, fostering shared responsibility and community stakeholder ownership.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2025 Special Focus—Emotional vs Artificial Intelligence: A Paradigm Shift in Healthcare?
KEYWORDS
PERIOD TRACKING, AI, WOMAN, GLOBAL SOUTH, INCLUSION
