Will patient data collection methods change after a pandemic? A systematic review of the strengths, challenges and opportunities of this new scenario.

Abstract

The evolution of survey methods in clinical research has been significantly shaped by technological advances and the global upheaval caused by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. The use of traditional face-to-face interviews has been augmented, and in some cases replaced, by a range of remote interviewing techniques. This shift requires a comprehensive examination of the unique advantages, limitations, and future applications of these methods. This study employs a systematic literature review, guided by PRISMA and Pati's criteria, to examine the nuances of face-to-face, remote, and mixed method interviewing. From an initial corpus of 2802 articles, 2632 were deemed relevant after applying specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. The selection was then refined to 44 articles, which were then subjected to careful analysis. The results are presented as Social Visual Analysis graphs to explicit the relationship between methodologies (each interview technique) and its characteristics. The findings reveal the unique advantages and challenges associated with each interview technique, underscoring the complexity of selecting the most appropriate data collection method for clinical research. In particular, remote interviews are praised for their convenience and high acceptance rates, although they occasionally exhibit lower data quality and potential biases. Mixed-media approaches are emerging as a versatile solution, combining the benefits of different methods to provide a more flexible and comprehensive data collection process.