RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Reducing Preconception Risks Among African American Women with Conversational Agent Technology
JF The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Medicine
JO J Am Board Fam Med
FD American Board of Family Medicine
SP 441
OP 451
DO 10.3122/jabfm.2015.04.140327
VO 28
IS 4
A1 Jack, Brian
A1 Bickmore, Timothy
A1 Hempstead, Megan
A1 Yinusa-Nyahkoon, Leanne
A1 Sadikova, Ekaterina
A1 Mitchell, Suzanne
A1 Gardiner, Paula
A1 Adigun, Fatima
A1 Penti, Brian
A1 Schulman, Daniel
A1 Damus, Karla
YR 2015
UL http://www.jabfm.org/content/28/4/441.abstract
AB Background: Systems and tools are needed to identify and mitigate preconception health (PCH) risks, particularly for African American (AA) women, given persistent health disparities. We developed and tested “Gabby,” an online preconception conversational agent system.Methods: One hundred nongravid AA women 18–34 years of age were screened for over 100 PCH risks and randomized to the Gabby or control group. The Gabby group interacted with the system for up to six months; the control group received a letter indicating their health risks with a recommendation to talk with their clinician. The numbers, proportions, and types of risks were compared between groups.Results: There were 23.7 (SD 5.9) risks identified per participant. Eighty-five percent (77 of 91) provided 6 month follow up data. The Gabby group had greater reductions in the number (8.3 vs. 5.5 risks, P < .05) and the proportion (27.8% vs 20.5%, P < 0.01) of risks compared to controls. The Gabby group averaged 63.7 minutes of interaction time. Seventy-eight percent reported that it “was easy to talk to Gabby” and 64% used information from Gabby to improve their health.Conclusion: Gabby was significantly associated with preconception risk reduction. More research is needed to determine if Gabby can benefit higher risk populations and if risk reduction is clinically significant.