UNFPA has launched a chatbot in India called ‘Just Ask!’ – an Artificial Intelligence (AI) digital engagement platform for adolescents and young adults, aimed to help them learn about their sexual and reproductive health and rights. Read more
The Young Africa Live (YAL) smart bot is a free WhatsApp platform designed to help young people in South Africa (15 – 24) tackle the complex questions that arise during adolescence around love, sexuality, mental health, and overall wellbeing – all in a private and safe space that puts the answers at their fingertips. Read more
There is widespread misinformation about the effects of alcohol consumption on health, which was amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic through social media and internet channels. Chatbots and conversational agents became an important piece of the World Health Organization (WHO) response during the COVID-19 pandemic to quickly disseminate evidence-based information related to COVID-19 and tobacco to the public. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) seized the opportunity to develop a conversational agent to talk about alcohol-related topics and therefore complement traditional forms of health education that have been promoted in the past. Read more
Chatbots are computer programs that present a conversation-like interface through which people can access information and services. The COVID-19 pandemic has driven a substantial increase in the use of chatbots to support and complement traditional health care systems. However, despite the uptake in their use, evidence to support the development and deployment of chatbots in public health remains limited. Recent reviews have focused on the use of chatbots during the COVID-19 pandemic and the use of conversational agents in health care more generally. This paper complements this research and addresses a gap in the literature by assessing the breadth and scope of research evidence for the use of chatbots across the domain of public health. Read more
A study from Singapore has evaluated the effectiveness of mental health chatbots in helping alleviate symptoms of depression. Read more
