Timothy Bickmore|Dina Utami|Robin K. Matsuyama|Michael K. Paasche?Orlow
Improving Access to Online Health Information With Conversational Agents: A Randomized Controlled Experiment
Northeastern University|Northeastern University|Virginia Commonwealth University|Boston Medical Center
conventional webbased search engines may unusable individuals low health literacy finding healthrelated information thus precluding use populationwe describe conversational search engine interface designed allow individuals low health computer literacy identify learn clinical trials interneta randomized trial involving 89 participants compared conversational search engine interface n43 existing conventional keyword facetbased search engine interface n46 national cancer institute clinical trials database participant performed 2 tasks finding clinical trial finding trial met prespecified criteriaresults indicated participants satisfied conversational interface based 7point selfreported satisfaction ratings task 1 mean 49 sd 18 vs mean 32 sd 18 p001 task 2 mean 48 sd 19 vs mean 32 sd 17 p001 compared conventional web formbased interface participants also rated trials found better meeting search criteria based 7point selfreported scales task 1 mean 37 sd 16 vs mean 27 sd 18 p01 task 2 mean 48 sd 17 vs mean 34 sd 19 p01 participants low health literacy failed find trials satisfied prespecified criteria task 2 using conventional search engine interface whereas 36 514 successful task using conversational interface p05conversational agents used improve accessibility webbased searches general clinical trials particular help decrease recruitment bias disadvantaged populations