Identifying strategies to characterize the diversity of the MS population in Canada: a nominal group study

Background: Diversity of the multiple sclerosis (MS) population in Canada is unknown, yet demographic and diversity-related characteristics influence health outcomes. Objective: To determine "What strategy would best address the information gaps regarding diversity of the MS population in Canada?" Methods: The virtual nominal group technique involved silent idea generation, recording and discussion of items, preliminary voting, discussion and final ranking. Results: Eight participants proposed 10 strategies; two were dropped before final voting, after which the top options (tied) were: a national standardized clinic form, novel applications of administrative data, and novel data linkages. Conclusion: We identified strategies to characterize the diversity of the MS population in Canada.