Three ways to boost the performance of health care chatbots

Health care chatbots, powered by AI, are increasingly prominent, with options like Youper, Ada Health, and Florence. They offer various functions, including appointment scheduling, inquiries handling, reminders, symptom interpretation, and connecting users with real doctors. Yet, they face challenges. Improving their performance and user satisfaction involves continuous training with updated information, sensitivity to emergencies like strokes, and ensuring ease of use, particularly for vulnerable populations. By addressing these areas, chatbots can enhance health care accessibility, lighten the load on medical providers, and advance health equity, promising a bright future in the field.

Household Income Impact on Nutrition Access

Food Deserts, found within areas of low SES, lack fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthy options, and instead have stores that stock highly processed foods (TBCG, 2019). In the U.S., Florida has the highest rates of food insecurity, obesity, and chronic diseases related to obesity, compared to national data (Wright et al., 2018). The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that 23.5 million Americans live in food deserts, with 1.25 million of those people residing in Florida’s food deserts (Wright et al., 2018). A 2019 study, using 2015 data, found that forty of Jacksonville’s census tracts, out of 173, were Food Deserts (TBCG, 2019).