Engaging patients and citizens in digital health technology development through the virtual space
Digital technologies are increasingly empowering individuals to take charge of their health and improve their well-being. However, there are disparities in access related to demographic, economic, and sociocultural factors that result in exclusion from the use of digital technologies for different g...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Medical Technology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2022.958571/full |
| _version_ | 1811212351693651968 |
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| author | Romina Helena Barony Sanchez Romina Helena Barony Sanchez Romina Helena Barony Sanchez Laurie-Ann Bergeron-Drolet Laurie-Ann Bergeron-Drolet Maxime Sasseville Maxime Sasseville Maxime Sasseville Marie-Pierre Gagnon Marie-Pierre Gagnon Marie-Pierre Gagnon |
| author_facet | Romina Helena Barony Sanchez Romina Helena Barony Sanchez Romina Helena Barony Sanchez Laurie-Ann Bergeron-Drolet Laurie-Ann Bergeron-Drolet Maxime Sasseville Maxime Sasseville Maxime Sasseville Marie-Pierre Gagnon Marie-Pierre Gagnon Marie-Pierre Gagnon |
| author_sort | Romina Helena Barony Sanchez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Digital technologies are increasingly empowering individuals to take charge of their health and improve their well-being. However, there are disparities in access related to demographic, economic, and sociocultural factors that result in exclusion from the use of digital technologies for different groups of the population. The development of digital technology in health is a powerful lever for improving care and services, but also brings risks for certain users in vulnerable situations. Increased digital health inequalities are associated with limited digital literacy, lack of interest, and low levels of self-efficacy in using technology. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic healthcare systems, the leap to digital is essential. To foster responsible innovation and optimal use of digital health by all, including vulnerable groups, we propose that patient and citizen engagement must be an essential component of the research strategy. Patient partners will define expectations and establish research priorities using their experiential knowledge, while benefiting from rich exposure to the research process to increase their self-efficacy and digital literacy. We will support this proposition with an operationalised example aiming to implement a Virtual Community of Patients and Citizens Partners (COMVIP), a digital tool co-created with patients and public experts, as active team members in research. Founded on the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion, this base of citizen expertise will assemble individuals from different backgrounds and literacy levels living in vulnerable situations to acquire knowledge, and share their experiences, while contributing actively in the co-development of innovative strategies and health technology assessment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:28:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6ad421fbc28e4413928804f5a51b51c5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-3129 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:28:04Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Medical Technology |
| spelling | doaj.art-6ad421fbc28e4413928804f5a51b51c52022-12-22T03:46:12ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Medical Technology2673-31292022-11-01410.3389/fmedt.2022.958571958571Engaging patients and citizens in digital health technology development through the virtual spaceRomina Helena Barony Sanchez0Romina Helena Barony Sanchez1Romina Helena Barony Sanchez2Laurie-Ann Bergeron-Drolet3Laurie-Ann Bergeron-Drolet4Maxime Sasseville5Maxime Sasseville6Maxime Sasseville7Marie-Pierre Gagnon8Marie-Pierre Gagnon9Marie-Pierre Gagnon10VITAM Research Center on Sustainable Health, CIUSSS Capitale-Nationale, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, CanadaFacultyof Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, CanadaThe International Observatory on the Societal Impacts of AI and Digital Technology, Quebec City, QC, CanadaVITAM Research Center on Sustainable Health, CIUSSS Capitale-Nationale, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, CanadaFacultyof Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, CanadaFaculty of Nursing, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, CanadaVITAM Research Center on Sustainable Health, CIUSSS Capitale-Nationale, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, CanadaThe International Observatory on the Societal Impacts of AI and Digital Technology, Quebec City, QC, CanadaFaculty of Nursing, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, CanadaVITAM Research Center on Sustainable Health, CIUSSS Capitale-Nationale, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, CanadaThe International Observatory on the Societal Impacts of AI and Digital Technology, Quebec City, QC, CanadaDigital technologies are increasingly empowering individuals to take charge of their health and improve their well-being. However, there are disparities in access related to demographic, economic, and sociocultural factors that result in exclusion from the use of digital technologies for different groups of the population. The development of digital technology in health is a powerful lever for improving care and services, but also brings risks for certain users in vulnerable situations. Increased digital health inequalities are associated with limited digital literacy, lack of interest, and low levels of self-efficacy in using technology. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic healthcare systems, the leap to digital is essential. To foster responsible innovation and optimal use of digital health by all, including vulnerable groups, we propose that patient and citizen engagement must be an essential component of the research strategy. Patient partners will define expectations and establish research priorities using their experiential knowledge, while benefiting from rich exposure to the research process to increase their self-efficacy and digital literacy. We will support this proposition with an operationalised example aiming to implement a Virtual Community of Patients and Citizens Partners (COMVIP), a digital tool co-created with patients and public experts, as active team members in research. Founded on the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion, this base of citizen expertise will assemble individuals from different backgrounds and literacy levels living in vulnerable situations to acquire knowledge, and share their experiences, while contributing actively in the co-development of innovative strategies and health technology assessment.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2022.958571/fulldigital healthpatient and citizen engagementunderrepresented groupsvirtual collaborationco-development. |
| spellingShingle | Romina Helena Barony Sanchez Romina Helena Barony Sanchez Romina Helena Barony Sanchez Laurie-Ann Bergeron-Drolet Laurie-Ann Bergeron-Drolet Maxime Sasseville Maxime Sasseville Maxime Sasseville Marie-Pierre Gagnon Marie-Pierre Gagnon Marie-Pierre Gagnon Engaging patients and citizens in digital health technology development through the virtual space Frontiers in Medical Technology digital health patient and citizen engagement underrepresented groups virtual collaboration co-development. |
| title | Engaging patients and citizens in digital health technology development through the virtual space |
| title_full | Engaging patients and citizens in digital health technology development through the virtual space |
| title_fullStr | Engaging patients and citizens in digital health technology development through the virtual space |
| title_full_unstemmed | Engaging patients and citizens in digital health technology development through the virtual space |
| title_short | Engaging patients and citizens in digital health technology development through the virtual space |
| title_sort | engaging patients and citizens in digital health technology development through the virtual space |
| topic | digital health patient and citizen engagement underrepresented groups virtual collaboration co-development. |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2022.958571/full |
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