More women with chronic illnesses are turning to AI chatbots for help

In short: More women living with complex long-term health problems are using AI chatbots to track symptoms, get self-care tips, and ask what might be wrong.

What's going on

Women with chronic illnesses, meaning health problems that last a long time, are increasingly using AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude to look for relief and answers. Some use them to describe symptoms and ask what questions to bring to a doctor. Others use them for day-to-day help, like reminders and emotional support during flare-ups.

Research suggests these tools can sometimes help. A review of 19 studies found chatbots supported people with conditions like cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis by collecting health information, teaching patients, and encouraging them to stick with treatment plans. In one study of breast cancer patients on chemotherapy, a chatbot called ChemoFreeBot lowered symptom frequency and distress and increased self-care behaviors.

Some chatbots have also been tested for diagnosis, which means guessing what illness might explain a set of symptoms. One system, Chat Ella, reported 97.5% diagnostic accuracy across 24 chronic diseases in a study, and many users said they found it helpful.

What to watch

Studies also show serious downsides. In simulated doctor visits, several AI systems suggested too many tests and sometimes recommended the wrong medicines, even when they identified the condition correctly. Researchers also warned about privacy and fairness issues, since one test found the bot performed better for older and wealthier simulated patients. For now, chatbots can act like a notebook and a coach (helping you organize and cope), but they still need human oversight, especially for diagnosis and treatment.

Source: NYTimes