Why would you use medical chatbots? interview and survey.

Area of Science:

• Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Medical chatbots, powered by AI, show significant potential but lack behavioral research.
• Existing evidence primarily addresses technical aspects, neglecting user motivation.
• Behavioral factors are crucial for the adoption of AI in healthcare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key motivators for individuals using medical chatbots.
• To extend the theory of planned behavior with user-derived constructs.
• To propose and test a research model for medical chatbot adoption.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative interviews (n=20) informed model development.
• Content analysis identified key constructs.
• Quantitative survey (n=205) data analyzed using PLS-SEM.

Main Results:

• Health consciousness and perceived convenience positively correlate with attitudes toward medical chatbot use.
• Positive attitudes and subjective norms significantly predict intention to use medical chatbots.
• The extended theory of planned behavior effectively predicts user intention.

Conclusions:

• Hospital managers can enhance health consciousness and convenience to foster positive attitudes towards medical chatbots.
• Strategies to increase patient awareness of medical chatbots are recommended.
• The study provides a validated model for predicting medical chatbot adoption.