Can AI Assistants Like ChatGPT Help Address Public Health Questions?

Summary: A new study explores the potential of AI assistants, such as ChatGPT, in providing accurate and actionable responses to public health questions.

The study evaluated ChatGPT’s ability to address a range of common health queries and found that it provided evidence-based responses to 91% of the questions. However, only 22% of the responses included referrals to specific resources, indicating room for improvement in connecting users with appropriate help.

Key Facts:

1. ChatGPT, an AI assistant, was tested on 23 public health questions across categories like addiction, interpersonal violence, mental health, and physical health.
2. The study revealed that ChatGPT mirrored subject matter expert support in its responses, often aligning with evidence-based guidelines for various health concerns.
3. While ChatGPT demonstrated knowledge in answering questions, there is a need for better integration of specific resource referrals to ensure users can access the necessary support and expert guidance.

Source: UCSD