Adapting citizens’ jury methodology for use in Uganda: use of creative arts as a tool in deliberative, participatory research

Abstract

A citizens’ jury is a method of deliberative action research to determine the perspectives of community members regarding complex healthcare issues. This approach is a novel paradigm in settings such as Uganda. Implementation of electronic medical records brings the potential to use routinely collected data for health research. It is important to understand community perspectives. A two-day citizens’ jury was hosted in Kampala. ‘Expert witnesses’ provided topical evidence. Three creative arts techniques were implemented to enable interaction and reflection. First, a local Ugandan film team produced summaries. Secondly, a local artist painted emerging themes. Finally, a drama team comprised community members living with HIV developed an interactive sketch highlighting key points. This creative methodology enabled vibrant interaction. Jurors reached a unanimous verdict that with appropriate consent and data protection, electronic medical data could be used for research. This adapted citizens’ jury methodology could be used in other similar settings.