title: Public attitudes and values in priority setting.
abstract: There is growing recognition that critical decisions concerning investments in new health care technologies and services should incorporate society's values along with the scientific evidence. From a normative perspective, public engagement can help realize the democratic ideals of legitimacy, transparency, and accountability. On a more pragmatic level, public engagement can help stakeholders understand the degree of popular support for policy options, and may enhance public trust in decision-making processes. To better understand public attitudes and values relating to priority setting in health care, researchers and decision-makers will have to employ a range of quantitative and qualitative approaches, drawing on different disciplines and methodological traditions.
authors.affiliation: Canadian Centre for Applied Research in Cancer Control (ARCC), British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, 675 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, V5Z 1L3 Canada ; Cancer Control Research, British Columbia Cancer Agency, University of British Columbia, British Columbia, Canada ; School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, British Colombia, Canada.
authors.forename: Stuart J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Peacock