Using collaborative web technology to construct the health information national trends survey.

Scientists are taking advantage of web-based technology to work in new collaborative environments, a phenomenon known as Science 2.0. The National Cancer Institute created a web-based tool called HINTS-GEM, which allows a diverse group of stakeholders to collaborate in a virtual environment by providing input on content for the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). This involved stakeholders providing new suggested content and commenting and rating on existing content. HINTS is a nationally representative survey of the US noninstitutionalized adult population. This article describes the conceptual development of HINTS-GEM and provides results of its use by stakeholders in creating an improved survey instrument.