DAPHNE Chatbot for Social Needs

Overseen By Emre Sezgin, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Emre Sezgin

Disqualifiers: Non-English speakers

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

Duration: 6 months

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a chatbot called DAPHNE to determine if it can assist caregivers of children at Nationwide Children's Hospital in managing social support needs more effectively. The study aims to assess whether the chatbot is user-friendly, helpful, and integrates smoothly into healthcare routines. Caregivers facing social challenges, such as low income or lack of insurance, might find this trial relevant. Participants will either use the DAPHNE chatbot or receive standard care to compare outcomes. Healthcare providers will also examine how well the chatbot integrates into their daily work.

As an unphased trial, this study offers caregivers a unique opportunity to explore innovative support solutions that could enhance their healthcare experience.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on using a chatbot for social support, so it's unlikely to require changes to your medication.

What prior data suggests that the DAPHNE chatbot is safe for caregivers and healthcare providers?

Research has shown that the DAPHNE chatbot has helped families of children with cancer by addressing their social needs. Past studies have not identified any major safety issues with the chatbot. It is designed to identify social needs and connect users to helpful resources. As a digital tool, the focus is on its effectiveness and ease of use, rather than physical safety risks. Most user feedback highlights its ease of use and integration into daily life, with few reports of harmful effects.

In this trial, the primary concern is the chatbot's usability and helpfulness, not traditional medical safety. As it is not a drug or physical treatment, safety concerns are much lower compared to other treatments. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the DAPHNE Chatbot Intervention because it introduces a novel way to address social needs through a digital platform. Unlike the standard care options that rely on traditional screening and referral procedures at hospitals, the DAPHNE Chatbot offers personalized, immediate support and guidance. This approach leverages technology to potentially enhance accessibility and efficiency in connecting individuals with the resources they need, making it a promising tool in healthcare settings.

What evidence suggests that the DAPHNE chatbot is effective for improving caregiver engagement and integration into clinical workflows?

Research has shown that the DAPHNE chatbot effectively identifies social needs and connects patients to helpful resources. In this trial, participants in the "Chatbot Access" arm will use the DAPHNE chatbot, which studies have found supports caregivers by increasing their involvement and simplifying access to social support. Early findings suggest that DAPHNE is user-friendly and beneficial for families in meeting their social needs. The chatbot integrates smoothly into healthcare settings, aiding providers in managing patient care more efficiently. Although more research is needed, early results are promising for its role in enhancing the caregiver experience in pediatric care settings. ^{1 2 4 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Emre Sezgin, PhD

Principal Investigator

Nationwide Children's Hospital

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for caregivers of pediatric patients at NCH PCC. It's designed to see if a chatbot named DAPHNE can help them better engage with health and social care support tools. Caregivers will be asked to use the chatbot, fill out surveys, and participate in interviews.

Inclusion Criteria

* Must be 18 years or older

* At least one unmet social need

* Low-income

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants are randomly assigned to either the DAPHNE chatbot group or the standard of care group and complete surveys assessing usability, acceptability, and burden.

6 months

Continuous engagement with the chatbot and periodic surveys

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for retention and outcomes through follow-up assessments.

6 months

1 month, 3 months, and 6 months post-baseline assessments

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• DAPHNE Chatbot Intervention

Trial Overview The study tests whether the DAPHNE chatbot improves caregiver engagement compared to usual care involving standard HRSN screening and referral. It's a pilot randomized clinical trial focusing on usability, acceptability, burden over six months, and integration into provider workflows.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Health Care Providers Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

All health care providers will receive access to the chatbot.

Group II: Chatbot Access Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

These participants will receive access to the chatbot

Group III: Standard of Care Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants will not receive access to the DAPHNE chatbot. These individuals will receive the usual HRSN screening/referral procedures at Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Emre Sezgin

Lead Sponsor

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11297373/

Chatbot for Social Need Screening and Resource Sharing ... This study aims to present the design and evaluation of a chatbot, DAPHNE (Dialog-Based Assistant Platform for Healthcare and Needs Ecosystem), which screens ...

2. sirenetwork.ucsf.edu sirenetwork.ucsf.edu/tools-resources/resources/chatbot-social-need-screening-and-resource-sharing-vulnerable-families

Chatbot for social need screening and resource sharing ... This study aims to present the design and evaluation of a chatbot, DAPHNE (Dialog-Based Assistant Platform for Healthcare and Needs Ecosystem), which screens ...

3. humanfactors.jmir.org humanfactors.jmir.org/2024/1/e57114/

Chatbot for Social Need Screening and Resource Sharing ... Objective: This study aims to present the design and evaluation of a chatbot, DAPHNE (Dialog-Based Assistant Platform for Healthcare and Needs ...

4. papers.ssrn.com papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4662290

Chatbot for social needs screening and resource sharing ... This study presents the design and evaluation of a chatbot, DAPHNE©, that screens for social needs and links patients to resources.

5. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07168382

NCT07168382 | AI-Based Personalized Health and Self-Care The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if the DAPHNE chatbot can improve caregiver engagement, usability, and integration of social ...

6. wcrf.org wcrf.org/research-policy/our-research/grants-database/using-ai-chatbots-to-support-families-of-children-with-cancer/

Using AI chatbots to support families of children with cancer This INSPIRE project developed an artificial intelligence chatbot called DAPHNE, to address social needs in real-time for families of children with cancer.

7. pediatricsnationwide.org pediatricsnationwide.org/2024/08/28/can-artificial-intelligence-ai-improve-access-to-social-resources-for-better-patient-outcomes/

Can Artificial Intelligence (AI) Improve Access to Social ... ... chatbot called DAPHNE© (Dialog-Based Assistant Platform for Healthcare and Needs Ecosystem) to screen for unmet social needs and link ...