Digital Information Exchange Between the Public and Researchers in Health Studies: Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Communication
• Research Methodology

Background:

• Information exchange in health studies is vital for transparency and engagement.
• Digital tools like study websites offer potential for enhanced communication.
• Growing importance of effective information dissemination in health research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe how digital information exchange occurs between the public and researchers in health studies.
• To identify facilitators and barriers to digital information exchange in health research.
• To highlight gaps in current research on digital health study communication.

Main Methods:

• Scoping review adhering to PRISMA-ScR guidelines.
• Searched multiple databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science) and Google Scholar.
• Included 18 studies published between 2010-2021, analyzing population, concept, and context.

Main Results:

• 18 studies evaluated digital information exchange preferences.
• Methods included websites, email, social media; content focused on informing, recruiting, or gathering ideas.
• Identified 7 facilitators (e.g., stakeholder needs, clear language) and 9 barriers (e.g., resource limitations, technical jargon, ethical concerns).

Conclusions:

• Few studies address digital information exchange in health research, with limited focus on interactivity.
• More barriers than facilitators were identified, indicating a need for improvement.
• Future research should focus on interactive digital methods and understanding public preferences for effective exchange.