title: Assessment of a multimedia-based prospective method to support public deliberations on health technology design: participant survey findings and qualitative insights.
abstract: Using a combination of videos and online short stories, we conducted four face-to-face deliberative workshops in Montreal (Quebec, Canada) with members of the public who later joined additional participants in an online forum to discuss the social and ethical implications of prospective technologies. This paper presents the participants' appraisal of our intervention and provides novel qualitative insights into the use of videos and online tools in public deliberations.
  
  
  
  We applied a mixed-method study design. A self-administered survey contained open- and close-ended items using a 5-level Likert-like scale. Absolute frequencies and proportions for the close-ended items were compiled. Qualitative data included field notes, the transcripts of the workshops and the participants' contributions to the online forum. The qualitative data were used to flesh out the survey data describing the participants' appraisal of: 1) the multimedia components of our intervention; 2) its deliberative face-to-face and online processes; and 3) its perceived effects.
  
  
  
  Thirty-eight participants contributed to the workshops and 57 to the online forum. A total of 46 participants filled-in the survey, for a response rate of 73 % (46/63). The videos helped 96 % of the participants to understand the fictional technologies and the online scenarios helped 98 % to reflect about the issues raised. Up to 81 % considered the arguments of the other participants to be well thought-out. Nearly all participants felt comfortable sharing their ideas in both the face-to-face (89 %) and online environments (93 %), but 88 % preferred the face-to-face workshop. As a result of the intervention, 85 % reflected more about the pros and cons of technology and 94 % learned more about the way technologies may transform society.
  
  
  
  This study confirms the methodological feasibility of a deliberative intervention whose originality lies in its use of videos and online scenarios. To increase deliberative depth and foster a strong engagement by all participants, face-to-face and online components need to be well integrated. Our findings suggest that online tools should be designed by considering, one the one hand, the participants' self-perceived ability to share written comments and, on the other hand, the ease with which other participants can respond to such contributions.
authors: Department of Health Management, Evaluation and Policy, University of Montreal, Institute of Public Health Research of University of Montreal (IRSPUM), University of Montreal Research Chair on Responsible Innovation in Health, Branch Centre-ville, P.O. Box 6128, Montreal, QC, H3C 3 J7, Canada. pascale.lehoux@umontreal.ca.
authors: P
authors: 0000-0001-9482-1800
authors: P
authors: Lehoux
authors: Department of Health Management, Evaluation and Policy, University of Montreal, IRSPUM, Montreal, Canada.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Jimenez-Pernett
authors: Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors: F A
authors: FA
authors: Miller
authors: Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Montreal, IRSPUM, Montreal, Canada.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Williams-Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020811:Biomedical Technology; D032882:Comprehension; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D062069:Inventions; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D019212:Multimedia; D010465:Perception; D011340:Problem Solving; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011639:Public Opinion; D011792:Quebec; D012107:Research Design; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014741:Video Recording
keywords: Evaluation; Health innovation; Knowledge transfer and exchange; Online forum; Prospective analyses; Public involvement; Video-based deliberations