@Article{info:doi/10.2196/65785,
author="Chen, Chen
and Lam, Kok Tai
and Yip, Ka Man
and So, Hung Kwan
and Lum, Terry Yat Sang
and Wong, Ian Chi Kei
and Yam, Jason C
and Chui, Celine Sze Ling
and Ip, Patrick",
title="Comparison of an AI Chatbot With a Nurse Hotline in Reducing Anxiety and Depression Levels in the General Population: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial",
journal="JMIR Hum Factors",
year="2025",
month="Mar",
day="6",
volume="12",
pages="e65785",
keywords="AI chatbot; anxiety; depression; effectiveness; artificial intelligence",
abstract="Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots have been customized to deliver on-demand support for people with mental health problems. However, the effectiveness of AI chatbots in tackling mental health problems among the general public in Hong Kong remains unclear. Objective: This study aimed to develop a local AI chatbot and compare the effectiveness of the AI chatbot with a conventional nurse hotline in reducing the level of anxiety and depression among individuals in Hong Kong. Methods: This study was a pilot randomized controlled trial conducted from October 2022 to March 2023, involving 124 participants allocated randomly (1:1 ratio) into the AI chatbot and nurse hotline groups. Among these, 62 participants in the AI chatbot group and 41 in the nurse hotline group completed both the pre- and postquestionnaires, including the GAD-7 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7), PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), and satisfaction questionnaire. Comparisons were conducted using independent and paired sample t tests (2-tailed) and the $\chi$2 test to analyze changes in anxiety and depression levels. Results: Compared to the mean baseline score of 5.13 (SD 4.623), the mean postdepression score in the chatbot group was 3.68 (SD 4.397), which was significantly lower (P=.008). Similarly, a reduced anxiety score was also observed after the chatbot test (pre vs post: mean 4.74, SD 4.742 vs mean 3.4, SD 3.748; P=.005), respectively. No significant differences were found in the pre-post scores for either depression (P=.38) or anxiety (P=.19). No statistically significant difference was observed in service satisfaction between the two platforms (P=.32). Conclusions: The AI chatbot was comparable to the traditional nurse hotline in alleviating participants' anxiety and depression after responding to inquiries. Moreover, the AI chatbot has shown potential in alleviating short-term anxiety and depression compared to the nurse hotline. While the AI chatbot presents a promising solution for offering accessible strategies to the public, more extensive randomized controlled studies are necessary to further validate its effectiveness. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06621134; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06621134 ",
issn="2292-9495",
doi="10.2196/65785",
url="https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2025/1/e65785",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/65785"
}