1 in 3 adults use AI for health information: poll

More than 40% of users report uploading personal health information like test results or doctor’s notes into an AI tool, even as many adults are worried about data privacy, according to KFF.

Article By: Emily Olsen

Blog Source From : https://www.healthcaredive.com/

Dive Brief:About one-third of adults across the country have used artificial intelligence to find health information, as AI firms increasingly tout tools geared towards health queries, according to a poll published Wednesday by health policy researcher KFF. Respondents said their top reasons for using AI include the desire for quick health advice and researching information before seeing a provider, according to the survey. But about 1 in 5 said not having a provider or not being able to get an appointment were major drivers of their AI use. More than 40% of health AI users say they’ve uploaded personal medical information like test results or doctor’s notes into an AI tool, even though many express concerns about the privacy of their health data.

Dive Insight: The poll comes as a number of technology firms have rolled out AI chatbots dedicated to health questions, including OpenAI, Microsoft and Amazon. The health-specific tools, which typically allow users to connect their medical records for personalized information, can help users manage their care and navigate the complex U.S. healthcare system, the companies say.Plus, the tech firms argue many people are already turning to AI for health questions — a claim backed up by KFF’s latest poll of more than 1,300 U.S. adults. Nearly 30% of respondents said they’ve used AI for information and advice on their physical health in the past year, while 1 in 6 said they’ve accessed the tools for mental health information. Adults are about as likely to use AI for health questions as they are to turn to social media: 29% said they’d used social media for information on physical or mental health in the past year.

Many users turn to AI for quick health information% of AI users who cited the following as a major or minor reason they turned to the technology

Some respondents reported going to the doctor after using AI tools. About 6 in 10 adults who utilized an AI tool for physical health advice followed up with a provider, and 4 in 10 went to a mental health professional after seeking advice from AI. But younger adults are less likely to follow up with a provider, and they’re most likely to use AI for health questions in the first place, according to the poll. Additionally, access to care challenges — like not being able to afford healthcare costs — drive younger adults and low-income people to AI more frequently. Meanwhile, most AI users are satisfied with the quality of the health information received from AI tools — a concern for some experts who worry the technology could give misleading or false responses. At least 6 in 10 adults who utilized the tools for physical or mental health said they trust AI “a great deal” or “a fair amount” to provide reliable information. However, the public at large is still wary, especially if they haven’t used AI for health. More than 80% of respondents who said they hadn’t adopted the technology for mental or physical health questions said they didn’t trust AI much or at all. Health data privacy is also a concern. More than three-quarters of adults say they’re very or somewhat concerned about the privacy of personal medical information uploaded into AI tools.