โก Quick Summary
This study highlights the integration of AI-based digital health interventions, such as chatbots and augmented/virtual reality, into graduate curricula for public health professionals. Student feedback indicated a high overall course rating of 7.45 out of 9, emphasizing the importance of these technologies in clinical and public health practices.
๐ Key Details
- ๐ Course Content: Four lectures on digital health messaging, AI/large language models, chatbots, and augmented/virtual reality.
- ๐ฉโ๐ Participants: 16 enrolled students, primarily from the school of public health.
- ๐ Evaluation: Standard and supplemental course evaluations were used to assess student perceptions.
- ๐ Overall Rating: Average course rating of 7.45 out of 9.
๐ Key Takeaways
- ๐ก Digital health interventions are reshaping healthcare delivery.
- ๐ค AI technologies like chatbots and virtual reality are crucial for future public health professionals.
- ๐ Student feedback was generally positive, with enthusiasm for new content.
- โ Mixed responses regarding the relevance of new technologies compared to traditional methods.
- ๐ Emphasis on applications for diverse populations could enhance understanding.
- ๐ Continuous evolution of technologies necessitates updated training for healthcare professionals.
๐ Background
The landscape of healthcare delivery is rapidly evolving, driven by the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital health technologies. As these innovations become more prevalent, it is essential to equip future healthcare professionals with the skills necessary to develop and implement effective digital health interventions. This study responds to that need by updating graduate curricula to include relevant topics in digital health communication.
๐๏ธ Study
The authors of this study developed a graduate-level course that included four lectures focusing on digital health messaging strategies, AI and large language models, chatbots, and augmented/virtual reality. Additionally, a hands-on tutorial for chatbot development was incorporated into the curriculum. The effectiveness of these new content areas was evaluated through standard and supplemental course evaluations after course completion.
๐ Results
Out of 16 enrolled students, 11 completed the course evaluation, and 8 provided feedback through a supplemental survey. The majority of participants were female students from the school of public health. Notably, only one student reported prior experience with chatbot and AR/VR content. The overall course rating was high, averaging 7.45 out of 9, indicating a positive reception of the new content. However, open-ended responses revealed a mix of enthusiasm and questions regarding the relevance of these technologies compared to traditional communication methods.
๐ Impact and Implications
The findings of this study underscore the importance of integrating AI technologies into public health education. By emphasizing the relevance of chatbots and augmented/virtual reality in clinical and public health practices, educators can better prepare students to develop effective digital health interventions. Furthermore, focusing on applications that cater to diverse populations can enhance the understanding of these technologies’ value, ensuring that future public health professionals are equipped to meet the evolving needs of healthcare delivery.
๐ฎ Conclusion
This study illustrates the potential of incorporating AI-based digital health interventions into graduate curricula for public health professionals. The positive student feedback highlights the value of these technologies in preparing future healthcare providers. As the field continues to evolve, ongoing research and curriculum development will be essential to ensure that public health professionals are well-equipped to leverage these innovations for improved health outcomes.
๐ฌ Your comments
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Empowering tomorrow’s public health researchers and clinicians to develop digital health interventions using chatbots, virtual reality, and other AI technologies.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based digital health interventions incorporating technologies like chatbots and augmented/virtual reality are reshaping the healthcare delivery landscape. The rollout of these technologies warrants updated graduate curricula to train future healthcare professionals. In response, the authors incorporated additional topics relevant to digital health intervention development into a graduate-level digital health communication course and evaluated student feedback.
METHODS: The authors developed four lectures on two-/one-way digital health messaging strategies, AI/large language models, chatbots, and augmented/virtual reality, and a chatbot development tutorial as a lab. They evaluated students’ perceptions of the course and the benefits of the new content after course completion through standard and supplemental course evaluations.
RESULTS: Eleven of 16 enrolled students completed the course evaluation, and 8 completed the supplemental survey. Most students were from the school of public health and reported female gender. One of 8 students completing the survey reported prior experience creating chatbot and AR/VR content. The overall average course rating was high (7.45 out of 9). Open-ended survey responses about the new content were mixed with enthusiasm and questions about its relevance over content on traditional communication modalities in preparation for public health work.
CONCLUSION: Student feedback underscored course content value, along with guidance to better emphasize how chatbots and augmented/virtual reality are relevant to clinical and public health practices. More applications relevant for diverse populations could elucidate the value of new technologies for students who will develop digital-based interventions. Applications focusing on commonalities could also solidify students’ understanding of intervention development principles that will remain, as technologies evolve.
Author: [‘Comulada WS’, ‘McQueen C’, ‘Lang CM’]
Journal: Front Public Health
Citation: Comulada WS, et al. Empowering tomorrow’s public health researchers and clinicians to develop digital health interventions using chatbots, virtual reality, and other AI technologies. Empowering tomorrow’s public health researchers and clinicians to develop digital health interventions using chatbots, virtual reality, and other AI technologies. 2025; 13:1577076. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1577076