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Currently accepted at: JMIR Formative Research

Date Submitted: Nov 4, 2025
Open Peer Review Period: Nov 4, 2025 - Dec 30, 2025
Date Accepted: Feb 3, 2026
(closed for review but you can still tweet)

This paper has been accepted and is currently in production.

It will appear shortly on 10.2196/87094

The final accepted version (not copyedited yet) is in this tab.

Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.

Feasibility and Behavioral Impact of an AI-Enabled Workplace Health Screening Machine in a Low-Resource Urban Setting: A Pilot Implementation Study in the Philippines

  • Norvie Jalani; 
  • Jaybee Bazan; 
  • Jaime Kristoffer Punzalan

ABSTRACT

Background:

Background:

Artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled health screening offers new opportunities to detect noncommunicable disease (NCD) risks in resource-limited settings. However, evidence on real-world feasibility, user acceptance, and behavioral outcomes of such tools in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remains limited.

Objective:

Objective:

This study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and short-term behavioral impact of DigiHealth, an AI-enabled health screening machine deployed among public school teachers in the Southern Philippines.

Methods:

Methods:

A cross-sectional implementation study was conducted among 384 teachers who underwent biometric and biochemical screening (BMI, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, HbA1c, and lipid profile) using DigiHealth. Post-screening surveys measured perceived ease of use, reliability, privacy, and follow-up health behaviors. Quantitative data were analyzed using Welch’s t-test, χ², and logistic regression. The study was guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Health Belief Model (HBM).

Results:

Results:

Most participants were female (81.2%; median age 44 years). Males showed higher systolic blood pressure (130.7 vs 125.2 mmHg, P=.04) and triglycerides (171 vs 144 mg/dL). Overall, 85% rated DigiHealth as “good” or “excellent,” and 93% found it easy to use. Seventy percent consulted a health professional, and 67% reported lifestyle modification after screening. Age was inversely associated with clustering of ≥3 metabolic risk factors (P=.01).

Conclusions:

Conclusions:

AI-assisted workplace screening is feasible, acceptable, and behaviorally activating in low-resource contexts. DigiHealth demonstrates how pragmatic, fit-for-purpose AI innovations can complement national NCD programs and promote early detection in institutional settings within LMICs. Clinical Trial: NA


 Citation

Please cite as:

Jalani N, Bazan J, Punzalan JK

Feasibility and Behavioral Impact of an AI-Enabled Workplace Health Screening Machine in a Low-Resource Urban Setting: A Pilot Implementation Study in the Philippines

JMIR Preprints. 04/11/2025:87094

DOI: 10.2196/preprints.87094

URL: https://preprints.jmir.org/preprint/87094

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