Journal Article2026

A proposed participatory framework for explainable AI in mHealth: Mixed methods study integrating user and stakeholder requirements

Farzana Islam, Ashraful Islam, M Ashraful Amin, Moinul Zaber

Journal of Medical Internet Research

JMIR Publications Toronto, Canada, Vol. 28, pp. e87158, ISBN: 1438-8871

  • Good Health and Well-being — Relevance: 90%
  • Reduced Inequalities — Relevance: 67%

Abstract

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) integration in mobile health (mHealth) apps offers health care access opportunities in low-resource settings, yet opaque AI recommendations undermine trust and adoption. Existing explainable AI (XAI) frameworks, designed in Western contexts, fail to address the linguistic, cultural, and infrastructural realities of South Asian populations, creating barriers where users cannot understand AI recommendations, clinicians cannot validate outputs, and developers lack implementation guidance. Thus, understanding explainability requirements among educated, digitally literate populations provides foundational insights for future development of inclusive mHealth technologies. Objective: This study aims to (1) investigate stakeholder perceptions of trust and explainability in AI-driven mHealth in Bangladesh; (2) identify demographic predictors of trust; and (3) develop and propose a context-adapted framework benefiting developers, policymakers, clinicians, and end users in resource-constrained settings. Methods: This study used a sequential mixed methods design that combined a quantitative survey (n=137) with a qualitative phase involving 20 stakeholders. This qualitative cohort consisted of developers (n=4), XAI experts (n=6), and clinicians (n=10) who participated through either focus groups or individual interviews. We used statistical analysis to examine demographic predictors and applied thematic analysis to identify explainability needs specific to each stakeholder group. Results: Education level showed a significant effect on trust (F3, 133=2.81, P=.042). Completed undergraduate students reported lower trust (mean 3.14, SD 1.10) compared with current undergraduates (mean 3.66, SD 0.93), suggesting that undergraduate completion develops critical evaluation skills that may decrease uncritical acceptance of AI systems. Despite recognizing AI's utility for preliminary guidance, users emphasized the necessity of human validation and expressed concerns about understanding AI's decision-making logic. Interviews with different stakeholder groups revealed critical gaps. Developers acknowledged minimal explainability implementation in current mHealth apps, while medical professionals unanimously prioritized clinical judgment over automated outputs and advocated for physician-mediated AI systems. Synthesizing findings across all stakeholder groups revealed five core requirements: (1) Human-AI collaboration and clinical validation, (2) Transparent logic paths, (3) Contextual personalization, (4) Cultural and linguistic relevance, and (5) Trust calibration and ethical safeguards. Conclusions: The framework bridges stakeholder misalignments and offers actionable guidance for design, deployment, and policy alignment in resource-constrained environments. By situating explainability within the sociocultural realities of South Asia, this research advances XAI beyond algorithmic transparency toward equity, inclusion, and user empowerment in digital health.

Keywords

  • Explainable AI
  • clinical validation
  • South Asia
  • stakeholder needs
  • human-AI collaboration
  • Bangladesh
  • resource-limited settings
  • mobile health
  • trust in AI
  • participatory approach

CCDS Authors

Ashraful Islam, PhD
Ashraful Islam

Ashraful Islam, PhD

  • Center Director, CCDS
  • Director, HCI Wing

Assistant Professor

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB)

Published at

CHI, UIST, UbiComp, IJCNN, ICIP, HCII, ICDMW, BLP, IEEE Internet of Things Journal, JMIR, JMIR Human Factors, JMIR Formative Research, IEEE Access, Smart Agricultural Technology, Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, PLOS ONE

Research Interests

Human-Computer Interaction, AI for Social Good, AI for Public Health, AI for Impact

Prof. M Ashraful Amin, PhD
M Ashraful Amin, PhD

Prof. M Ashraful Amin, PhD

  • Founder Director, CCDS
  • Director, AI/ML, HCI & DS Wings

Professor

+1 more affiliation

Department of Information Sciences and Technology

George Mason University, USA

Published at

ACL, CHI, UbiComp, ECAI, WACV, PAKDD, IJCNN, ICPR, ICIP, HCII, CLEF, BLP, Scientific Reports, JMIR, IEEE Access, Smart Agricultural Technology, Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience, Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, PLOS ONE

Research Interests

Machine Learning, Cognitive & Vision Science, Cybernetics, Surveillance & Security, ICT in Education, Health, & Agriculture, Human-Computer Interaction, Internet of Things, Robotics

Moinul I Zaber, PhD
Moinul I Zaber, PhD

Moinul I Zaber, PhD

  • Director, HCI Wing
  • Supervisor, DS Wing

Professor

+2 more affiliations

Department of Computer Science & Engineering

Dhaka University

Published at

ICPR, HCII, JMIR

Research Interests

Computational Social Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Telecommunication Policy

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