A survey of 500 U.S. adults revealed that 49.3% of participants viewed the use of AI in mental health care as potentially beneficial. Notably, African Americans and individuals with lower self-rated health literacy were more inclined to hold this belief, while women were less likely to do so. Additionally, 81.6% of respondents felt that health professionals should bear responsibility for misdiagnoses in mental health care.
Natalie Benda, PhD, an assistant professor at Columbia Nursing who led the study, highlighted the importance of understanding public perceptions of AI in mental health care, given its growing presence in healthcare systems. “This survey comes at a time when AI applications are ubiquitous, and patients are gaining greater access and ownership over their data,” she said. “Understanding patient perceptions of if and how we can appropriately use AI for mental health care is critical.”
The study revealed several concerns participants had about AI in mental health care, including the risk of incorrect diagnoses, the use of inappropriate treatments, reduced interaction with healthcare providers, and potential breaches of confidentiality. Participants also expressed a desire for greater transparency and control over how AI is used, emphasizing the need for better understanding of AI’s role in their care and its performance.
Based on these findings, the researchers recommended several actions for healthcare professionals to take when using AI in mental health care:
- Test AI tools in clinical simulation environments before wider implementation.
- Promote transparency by communicating the accuracy of AI tools and any potential risks to patients.
- Ensure biases in AI tools are thoroughly evaluated and addressed.
- Explain how the AI’s performance might differ from traditional methods in specific tasks.
- Conduct studies to understand what information patients need to feel informed and to build trust in AI tools.
- Encourage patient autonomy by involving them in the decision-making process alongside healthcare professionals.
