Dataset Information

Implementing Medical Chatbots: An Application on Hidradenitis Suppurativa.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The use of digital health resources is growing quickly as they are easily accessible and permit self-evaluation. Yet, research on consumer health informatics platforms is insufficient. Chatbots, interactive conversational platforms based on artificial intelligence, can facilitate access to specific information. Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is burdensome and has a high threshold for consultation.

Objectives

We aimed to identify the most important principles for the assembly of medical chatbots through the analysis of usage data.

Methods

The HS Chatbot1 is a question-and-answer platform in the style of a chatbot. Usage data were collected over the course of a year. 254 responses were statistically analysed.

Results

239 users were alleged patients. 82.9% were looking for a tentative diagnosis. The users were on average 32.49 (±11.33) years old and predominantly female (70.2%). The average number of clicks per visit on the website was 14.69 (±8.83).

Conclusions

A medical chatbot has to be customised to the specific subject whilst general principles have to be considered. High-quality information has to be available in just a few clicks. People concerned about HS are looking for a diagnosis online and often have not seen a doctor previously. Guidance towards appropriate care should be provided.

SUBMITTER: Walss M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8491464 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) leads to disfigurement and painful eruptions in terminal hair follicles of the intertriginous skin, mainly of axillary, genitofemoral, and perianal sites. It is associated with an excessive impairment of quality of life, psychiatric disorders, and sexual distress. Body image impairment has been linked to depression and anxiety and has been described for some dermatologic disorders but has not yet been investigated in patients with HS.To investigate whether body image is diminished in patients with HS and whether disease severity, age at onset, disease duration, obesity, depression, and anxiety are linked to body image impairment.This 12-month (August 1, 2009, to August 31, 2010) case-control study with a prospective, observational, cross-sectional design recruited 47 consecutive patients with HS entering a tertiary care center and 45 healthy control individuals matched for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). One patient and 4 controls failed to complete the questionnaire and were excluded from the evaluation. Data analysis was performed from December 1, 2013, to February 15, 2014.The Frankfurt Body Concept Scale (FKKS) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were given to patients and controls. Correlations among FKKS, HADS, and disease features were calculated.Of the 46 patients and 41 controls included in the evaluation (mean [SD] age, 35.6 [1.6] years; 40 [46%] male and 47 [54%] female), HS significantly reduced body image (mean FKKS score, 234.2 [5.4] in patients and 276.9 [5.7] in controls; P < .001), even when controlled for BMI. A correlation was found for the extent of body image disruption and BMI (r = -0.589; P < .001), HADS-depression score (r = -0.619; P < .001), and HADS-anxiety score (r = -0.340; P = .03). No association was found for the body image score and the severity of HS, age at onset of disease, and duration of disease. The body contact subscale score was the only subscale score that was not different between patients with HS and controls.Patients with HS have major body image impairment, which might lead to depression and anxiety, disorders that have been largely acknowledged in HS. This study identified another element of the psychosocial burden of patients with HS and reveals that body image could potentially be used as an outcome measure in future studies of HS.