Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Human Factors
Date Submitted: Aug 26, 2024
Date Accepted: Jan 15, 2025
AI Chatbot Versus Nurse Hotline for the Level of Anxiety and Depression in General Population: a Pilot Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
The AI chatbot has been customized to deliver on-demand support for people with mental health problems. The effectiveness of AI chatbots in tackling mental health problems in the general public in Hong Kong remains unclear.
Objective:
The study aimed to develop a local AI chatbot and compare the effectiveness of the AI chatbot and conventional nurse hotline in reducing the level of anxiety and depression of subjects in Hong Kong during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Methods:
This was a pilot randomized controlled trial conducted from Oct 2022 to March 2023, involving 124 participants allocated randomly (1:1 ratio) into the AI chatbot group and nurse hotline group. 62 participants in the AI chatbot group and 41 in the nurse hotline group completed both the pre-and post-questionnaires, including the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and satisfactory questionnaire. Comparisons were conducted using independent, paired sample t-test, and Chi-square test to analyze changes in anxiety and depression levels.
Results:
Compared to the baseline score (5.13 ± 4.623), the post-depression score (3.68 ± 4.397) was significantly lowered in the chatbot group (P=0.008). Similarly, the reduced anxiety score was also observed after the chatbot test (pre vs. post: 4.74 ± 4.742 vs. 3.4 ± 3.748, P=0.005). No significant differences were found in the pre-post for either depression (P=0.379) or anxiety score (P=0.190). No statistically significant difference was observed in service satisfaction between the two service platforms (P=0.324).
Conclusions:
The AI chatbot was comparable to the traditional nurse hotline in alleviating participants’ anxiety and depression after responding to inquiries during the COVID-19 outbreak. Moreover, the AI chatbot has shown potential in alleviating short-term anxiety and depression compared to the nurse hotline. While the AI chatbot presents a promising solution for offering accessible strategies to the public, more extensive randomized controlled studies are necessary to further validate its effectiveness.
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