Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39141910›Full record

ArticleJournal of medical Internet research2024

Characterizing the Adoption and Experiences of Users of Artificial Intelligence-Generated Health Information in the United States: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study.

Oluwatobiloba Ayo-Ajibola, Ryan J Davis, Matthew E Lin, Jeffrey Riddell, Richard L Kravitz

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of medical Internet research, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 41 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
41citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

41 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Trial
  4. Article
  5. Validating LLM judges for automated oversight of patient communication.medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences · 2026
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  20. Patient-Provider Discussions About Online Health Information in the Health Information National Trends Survey.Health education & behavior : the official publication of the Society for Public Health Education · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Oluwatobiloba Ayo-AjibolaKeck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States.ORCID 0009-0002-4824-7160
Ryan J DavisKeck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States.ORCID 0009-0002-0408-8380
Matthew E LinDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.ORCID 0000-0001-9914-9670
Jeffrey RiddellDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States.ORCID 0000-0001-7205-4065
Richard L KravitzDivision of General Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States.ORCID 0000-0001-5575-529X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOpenAI's ChatGPT is a source of advanced online health information (OHI) that may be integrated into individuals' health information-seeking routines. However, concerns have been raised about its factual accuracy and impact on health outcomes. To forecast implications for medical practice and public health, more information is needed on who uses the tool, how often, and for what.

objectiveThis study aims to characterize the reasons for and types of ChatGPT OHI use and describe the users most likely to engage with the platform.

methodsIn this cross-sectional survey, patients received invitations to participate via the ResearchMatch platform, a nonprofit affiliate of the National Institutes of Health. A web-based survey measured demographic characteristics, use of ChatGPT and other sources of OHI, experience characterization, and resultant health behaviors. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Both 2-tailed t tests and Pearson chi-square tests were used to compare users of ChatGPT OHI to nonusers.

resultsOf 2406 respondents, 21.5% (n=517) respondents reported using ChatGPT for OHI. ChatGPT users were younger than nonusers (32.8 vs 39.1 years, P<.001) with lower advanced degree attainment (BA or higher; 49.9% vs 67%, P<.001) and greater use of transient health care (ED and urgent care; P<.001). ChatGPT users were more avid consumers of general non-ChatGPT OHI (percentage of weekly or greater OHI seeking frequency in past 6 months, 28.2% vs 22.8%, P<.001). Around 39.3% (n=206) respondents endorsed using the platform for OHI 2-3 times weekly or more, and most sought the tool to determine if a consultation was required (47.4%, n=245) or to explore alternative treatment (46.2%, n=239). Use characterization was favorable as many believed ChatGPT to be just as or more useful than other OHIs (87.7%, n=429) and their doctor (81%, n=407). About one-third of respondents requested a referral (35.6%, n=184) or changed medications (31%, n=160) based on the information received from ChatGPT. As many users reported skepticism regarding the ChatGPT output (67.9%, n=336), most turned to their physicians (67.5%, n=349).

conclusionsThis study underscores the significant role of AI-generated OHI in shaping health-seeking behaviors and the potential evolution of patient-provider interactions. Given the proclivity of these users to enact health behavior changes based on AI-generated content, there is an opportunity for physicians to guide ChatGPT OHI users on an informed and examined use of the technology.

Indexed as

Artificial IntelligenceAdultAgedCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansInformation Seeking BehaviorMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesUnited StatesYoung AdultadoptionAIAI-generatedartificial intelligenceChatGPTchi-square testchi-square testscross-sectionaldecision-makingdescriptive statisticsdiagnosisexperienceexperienceshealth informationhealth literacyhealth-seeking behaviorhealth-seeking behaviorsimplicationimplicationsinteractioninteractionsless-educatedmedical practicemedical practicesnon usernon usersonline health informationpatientpatient information-seekingpatient-providerpatientspoor healthpublic healthResearchMatchsurveysurveyst testt testsuserusersutilizationworse health

Identifiers

PMID39141910
PMCPMC11358651

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.