Using digital chatbots to close gaps in healthcare access during the COVID-19 pandemic.

IF 1.3 Q4 RESPIRATORY SYSTEM Public Health Action Pub Date : 2022-12-21 DOI:10.5588/pha.22.0046

C Tzelios, C Contreras, B Istenes, A Astupillo, L Lecca, K Ramos, L Ramos, K Roca, J T Galea, M Tovar, C D Mitnick, J Peinado

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引用次数: 4

Abstract

Introduction: Chatbots have emerged as a first link to care in recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic, and consequent health system disruptions, expanded their use. Socios En Salud (SES) introduced chatbots in Peru, which experienced one of the highest excess COVID mortalities in the world.

Methods: SES and the government identified unmet population health needs, which could be amenable to virtual interventions. Chatbots were developed to screen individuals for these conditions; we describe the period of deployment, number of screenings, and number of people who received services.

Results: Between April 2020 and May 2021, SES deployed nine ChatBots: four for mental health, two for maternal and child health, and three for chronic diseases: breast cancer, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and obesity. Mental health services were provided to 42,932 people, 99.99% of those offered services. The other ChatBots reached fewer people. Overall, more than 50% of eligible people accepted chatbot-based services.

Discussion: ChatBot use was highest for mental health. Chatbots may increase connections between a vulnerable population and health services; this is likely dependent on several factors, including condition, population, and penetration of smart phones. Future research will be critical to understand user experience and preferences and to ensure that chatbots link vulnerable populations to appropriate, high-quality care.

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在2019冠状病毒病大流行期间，使用数字聊天机器人弥合医疗保健获取方面的差距。

导语:近年来，聊天机器人已经成为护理的第一环节。COVID-19大流行及其造成的卫生系统中断扩大了它们的使用。秘鲁是世界上新冠肺炎死亡率最高的国家之一，社会服务公司(SES)在秘鲁推出了聊天机器人。方法:社会服务系统和政府确定了未满足的人口健康需求，这些需求可以通过虚拟干预来满足。开发聊天机器人是为了筛查这些疾病的个体;我们描述了部署的时间、筛选的次数和接受服务的人数。结果:在2020年4月至2021年5月期间，SES部署了9个聊天机器人:4个用于心理健康，2个用于孕产妇和儿童健康，3个用于慢性疾病:乳腺癌、高血压、糖尿病和肥胖症。向42,932人提供了心理健康服务，占提供服务人数的99.99%。其他聊天机器人接触到的人更少。总体而言，超过50%的符合条件的人接受了聊天机器人服务。讨论:聊天机器人在心理健康方面的使用率最高。聊天机器人可能会增加弱势群体与医疗服务之间的联系;这可能取决于几个因素，包括条件、人口和智能手机的普及率。未来的研究对于了解用户体验和偏好以及确保聊天机器人将弱势群体与适当的高质量护理联系起来至关重要。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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Public Health Action RESPIRATORY SYSTEM-

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期刊介绍： Launched on 1 May 2011, Public Health Action (PHA) is an official publication of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union). It is an open access, online journal available world-wide to physicians, health workers, researchers, professors, students and decision-makers, including public health centres, medical, university and pharmaceutical libraries, hospitals, clinics, foundations and institutions. PHA is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal that actively encourages, communicates and reports new knowledge, dialogue and controversy in health systems and services for people in vulnerable and resource-limited communities — all topics that reflect the mission of The Union, Health solutions for the poor.