โก Quick Summary
A recent pilot study developed a human-like AI avatar educational tool aimed at improving patient education on antidepressants for individuals with depression and anxiety. The study found that the tool significantly enhanced credibility, satisfaction, and understanding among participants, indicating its potential as a valuable resource in mental health education.
๐ Key Details
- ๐ Participants: 15 University Health Network Patient Partners
- ๐ฅ Tool Type: Human-like, non-generative AI avatar educational video
- ๐ Evaluation Domains: Credibility, satisfaction, understanding
- ๐ Success Metrics: โฅ60% rating โฅ4 on a 5-point Likert scale
๐ Key Takeaways
- ๐ก AI avatars can provide engaging and accessible educational content for patients.
- ๐ Initial success was achieved in credibility (75%) and satisfaction (67%) in the first cycle.
- ๐ After revisions, all evaluation domains exceeded success thresholds in the second cycle (credibility 90%, satisfaction 85%, understanding 82%).
- ๐ฃ๏ธ Participant feedback highlighted the tool as trustworthy, clear, and engaging.
- ๐ Potential applications extend beyond mental health to various conditions and clinical settings.
- ๐ฎ Future research should explore the tool’s impact on knowledge retention and treatment adherence.
๐ Background
Depression and anxiety are prevalent mental health issues, affecting nearly 1 in 4 Canadians. Traditional educational materials often fail to engage patients effectively, leading to a need for innovative solutions. The introduction of AI avatars represents a promising approach to enhance patient education by providing consistent and relatable content that mimics human interaction.
๐๏ธ Study
This pilot study aimed to develop an AI avatar educational video focused on educating patients about antidepressants. The development process involved two Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, informed by previous research on barriers to antidepressant use. Participants provided feedback through surveys assessing their perceptions of the tool’s credibility, satisfaction, and understanding.
๐ Results
In the first PDSA cycle, the educational tool achieved success in credibility (75%) and satisfaction (67%), but understanding fell short at 50%. Following revisions, the second cycle saw significant improvements, with all domains surpassing the predefined success thresholds: credibility at 90%, satisfaction at 85%, and understanding at 82%. Participants described the tool as trustworthy, clear, and engaging.
๐ Impact and Implications
The findings from this pilot study suggest that AI avatars can serve as effective supplementary educational tools for patients with depression and anxiety. By enhancing patient engagement and providing reliable information, these tools have the potential to improve education on mental health treatments. Furthermore, the scalable nature of this technology could allow for its application across various medical conditions and languages, broadening its impact in healthcare.
๐ฎ Conclusion
This pilot study highlights the significant potential of AI avatars in transforming patient education for mental health. By demonstrating high levels of credibility, satisfaction, and understanding, the AI avatar tool could pave the way for more engaging and effective educational resources in healthcare. Continued research is essential to explore its broader applications and integration into clinical practice.
๐ฌ Your comments
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Development and Evaluation of an AI Avatar Educational Tool for Depression and Anxiety: A Qualitative Pilot Study.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Depression and anxiety affect nearly 1 in 4 Canadians. Traditional patient education materials, such as handouts, are often lengthy and difficult to understand, leading to disengagement. Human-like artificial intelligence (AI) avatars offer a novel way to supplement education by delivering consistent, engaging video content that mimics human interaction and is easily accessible online.
OBJECTIVE: This pilot study aimed to develop a human-like, non-generative AI avatar educational video to support education on antidepressants for patients living with depression and anxiety. The secondary objectives were to evaluate participants perceptions of the tool across 3 domains: credibility, satisfaction, and understanding.
METHODS: The video was developed through 2 Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, informed by prior research on patient-reported barriers and enablers to antidepressant use. After viewing the video, participants completed a survey assessing the 3 domains. Success was predefined as โฅ60% of participants rating each domain โฅ4 on a 5-point Likert scale. Open-ended feedback was summarized descriptively to help inform revisions.
RESULTS: Fifteen University Health Network (UHN) Patient Partners participated in PDSA Cycle 1, most with lived experience of depression or anxiety and high digital literacy. Success thresholds were achieved for credibility (75%) and satisfaction (67%) but not for understanding (50%). After revisions, 10 participants from the original group completed PDSA Cycle 2, where all domains exceeded thresholds (credibility 90%, satisfaction 85%, understanding 82%). Participants described the tool as trustworthy, clear, and engaging.
CONCLUSION: This pilot study demonstrated that human-like, non-generative AI avatars can be an effective supplementary educational tool to deliver education on antidepressants for individuals with depression and anxiety. The tool demonstrated acceptability across credibility, satisfaction, and perceived understanding, highlighting its potential to enhance patient engagement and access to reliable information. As a scalable and adaptable format, avatar-based education may extend beyond mental health to other conditions, languages, and clinical settings. Future studies should examine its impact on knowledge retention, treatment adherence, and integration into clinical practice.
Author: [‘Bleik A’, ‘Marr P’, ‘Li SA’, ‘Kwan D’, ‘Ji C’, ‘Leblanc K’, ‘Meng Y’, ‘Papoushek C’]
Journal: J Prim Care Community Health
Citation: Bleik A, et al. Development and Evaluation of an AI Avatar Educational Tool for Depression and Anxiety: A Qualitative Pilot Study. Development and Evaluation of an AI Avatar Educational Tool for Depression and Anxiety: A Qualitative Pilot Study. 2026; 17:21501319251413030. doi: 10.1177/21501319251413030