Use of knowledge translation products from health technology assessment: a prospective observational study

Few studies report the evaluation of the use of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) organizations' knowledge products.

To determine (a) the stakeholders' use of the products disseminated by the 'Institut national d'excellence en santé et en services sociaux' (INESSS), and (b) the variability of use according to user characteristics and product properties.

A prospective web survey was performed. We included all participants who accessed INESSS products and voluntarily completed an online questionnaire from 1 January 2021, to 31 December 2022. For each rated product, the participants' use and intention to use were documented using the content-validated Information Assessment Method (IAM) questionnaire. Descriptive statistical analyses were conducted.

A total of 7041 responses were gathered. After removing incomplete and ineligible responses, we were left with 5236 responses; 74.4 percent of responses were from women; 5014 (95.8 percent) reported that the product was relevant; of those, 4322 (82.5 percent) indicated that the respondent was satisfied; of those, 4096 (78.2 percent) reported that the product was used or had an intention to use the product. Regarding products' use (n = 3023; 57.7 percent), there was no difference between regions with versus without medical faculties. Older participants were less likely to report using a product. Products with recommendations were more likely to be used, and healthcare professionals were more likely to use the products compared to other participants.

Current findings help identify audiences for targeted dissemination, guide user engagement strategies, and inform product refinement. Recommendation-containing products show the greatest uptake, particularly among younger professionals.