The HELPP Zone App for Survivors of IPV

Purpose: Our objective was to build a mobile app called HELPP (Health, Education on safety, and Legal Participant Preferred) Zone app to help users of mobile technology recognize, respond and prevent Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). IPV is a serious, preventable public health problem. It is described as physical, sexual, or psychological harm inflicted by a current or former partner or spouse. IPV has brought serious public health and social justice issues to people, especially the young who may not report it because they are afraid to tell friends and family. If IPV is left unchecked, it will bring short term and/or long term negative effects to the survivors, they may binge drink, attempt suicide, and argue and fight with friends and family. IPV comes at an enormous cost to physical, mental, economic, and social well-being to the U.S. at $13.6 billion and is expected to rise to $15.6 billion by 2020.

Methods: We collaborated with the School of Information Sciences faculty and students in building the HELPP Zone (Health, Education on safety, and Legal Participant Preferred) app. In building the HELPP Zone App, we addressed the fundamental paradigm of Diffusion of Disruptive Innovations (DDI) as evidence-based theoretical framework. A DDI is defined as a deliberately and intentionally developed product that functions as a disruptive innovative tool. The HELPP Zone app was designed as a simple product that enters the transformative service arena as a common activity. The HELPP Zone app is free and currently available for Android as an inexpensive and more widespread platform.

Results: We will seek resources to field test the app for its feasibility and effectiveness in reducing or disrupting IPV. A prototype of the HELPP Zone app is available.

Conclusions: The app was designed as a simple product that enters the transformative service arena as a common activity. If t offers a convenient service that enhances users’ capacity to recognize, respond, and prevent or stop RV through just-in-time communication, educational resources, and intervention from pre-set trusted contacts and is found to be feasible and effective, we will disseminate the app into a diverse population of users first regionally, then nationally and internationally.