Tailoring Digital Content to Address Occupational Injustice: Improving Accessibility and Equity for Marginalized Groups

Abstract

Creating equity in access to digital content and tools in the face of global chronic stressors can improve inclusivity and reduce an exacerbation of marginalization. The socio-political aspects of life are inherent in occupation and may reveal internal and external barriers that block meaningful digital engagement and inhibit a community's ability to thrive. In this article, the concept of occupational injustice is the lens through which we examine digital environments, content, and tools so that we may improve the marginalization and inequity experienced by certain groups. Based on 57 in-depth interviews with coffee stakeholders in Colombia, this study is a qualitative assessment of how occupation influences digital use. Data are gathered through participants' use of a tailored climate change adaptation website, www.climaycafe.com, and the users' reported experience. The data reveal that occupation influences digital usage through (1) how a user engages based on an occupation's social status, (2) what a user values based on occupational demands, (3) what is perceived as reliable and trustworthy based on occupational influence, and (4) feature preferences based on occupational exposure to technology. The findings demonstrate that digital content and tools can be tailored to reduce occupational injustice through an audience-centric focus that enhances accessibility, usability, and digital equity.