Deliberation Approaches Effective in Obtaining Informed Public Views on Complex Health Topics

Public deliberation and engagement in health care program and policy decisions is an effective method for researchers to capture informed consumer views on complex issues, according to an AHRQ study. The strategy is also a useful way for policymakers to engage citizens, according to the article and abstract, “Effectiveness of Public Deliberation Methods for Gathering Input on Issues in Healthcare: Results From a Randomized Trial,” published March 14 in the journalSocial Science & Medicine. The randomized controlled trial compared deliberative methods with one another and with a control intervention. Seventy-six public deliberation groups were convened in Chicago; Sacramento, California; Silver Spring, Maryland; and Durham, North Carolina, representing a diverse racial, ethnic and socio-demographic sample. The aim of this deliberative methods demonstration was to inform research programs on public views regarding the use of research evidence in health care decision-making and to expand the evidence base on public deliberation.

www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/ehc/assets/File/deliberative-methods-executive-140428.pdf