Automating untruths: ChatGPT, self-managed medication abortion, and the threat of misinformation in a post-Roe world
BackgroundChatGPT is a generative artificial intelligence chatbot that uses natural language processing to understand and execute prompts in a human-like manner. While the chatbot has become popular as a source of information among the public, experts have expressed concerns about the number of fals...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Digital Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fdgth.2024.1287186/full |
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| author | Hayley V. McMahon Hayley V. McMahon Bryan D. McMahon |
| author_facet | Hayley V. McMahon Hayley V. McMahon Bryan D. McMahon |
| author_sort | Hayley V. McMahon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundChatGPT is a generative artificial intelligence chatbot that uses natural language processing to understand and execute prompts in a human-like manner. While the chatbot has become popular as a source of information among the public, experts have expressed concerns about the number of false and misleading statements made by ChatGPT. Many people search online for information about self-managed medication abortion, which has become even more common following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. It is likely that ChatGPT is also being used as a source of this information; however, little is known about its accuracy.ObjectiveTo assess the accuracy of ChatGPT responses to common questions regarding self-managed abortion safety and the process of using abortion pills.MethodsWe prompted ChatGPT with 65 questions about self-managed medication abortion, which produced approximately 11,000 words of text. We qualitatively coded all data in MAXQDA and performed thematic analysis.ResultsChatGPT responses correctly described clinician-managed medication abortion as both safe and effective. In contrast, self-managed medication abortion was inaccurately described as dangerous and associated with an increase in the risk of complications, which was attributed to the lack of clinician supervision.ConclusionChatGPT repeatedly provided responses that overstated the risk of complications associated with self-managed medication abortion in ways that directly contradict the expansive body of evidence demonstrating that self-managed medication abortion is both safe and effective. The chatbot's tendency to perpetuate health misinformation and associated stigma regarding self-managed medication abortions poses a threat to public health and reproductive autonomy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T01:48:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-da6c658c2be848d9be7557e17cd29083 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-253X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T01:48:29Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Digital Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-da6c658c2be848d9be7557e17cd290832024-02-14T12:21:23ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Digital Health2673-253X2024-02-01610.3389/fdgth.2024.12871861287186Automating untruths: ChatGPT, self-managed medication abortion, and the threat of misinformation in a post-Roe worldHayley V. McMahon0Hayley V. McMahon1Bryan D. McMahon2Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United StatesThe Center forReproductive Health Research in the Southeast, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United StatesIndependent Researcher, Atlanta, GA, United StatesBackgroundChatGPT is a generative artificial intelligence chatbot that uses natural language processing to understand and execute prompts in a human-like manner. While the chatbot has become popular as a source of information among the public, experts have expressed concerns about the number of false and misleading statements made by ChatGPT. Many people search online for information about self-managed medication abortion, which has become even more common following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. It is likely that ChatGPT is also being used as a source of this information; however, little is known about its accuracy.ObjectiveTo assess the accuracy of ChatGPT responses to common questions regarding self-managed abortion safety and the process of using abortion pills.MethodsWe prompted ChatGPT with 65 questions about self-managed medication abortion, which produced approximately 11,000 words of text. We qualitatively coded all data in MAXQDA and performed thematic analysis.ResultsChatGPT responses correctly described clinician-managed medication abortion as both safe and effective. In contrast, self-managed medication abortion was inaccurately described as dangerous and associated with an increase in the risk of complications, which was attributed to the lack of clinician supervision.ConclusionChatGPT repeatedly provided responses that overstated the risk of complications associated with self-managed medication abortion in ways that directly contradict the expansive body of evidence demonstrating that self-managed medication abortion is both safe and effective. The chatbot's tendency to perpetuate health misinformation and associated stigma regarding self-managed medication abortions poses a threat to public health and reproductive autonomy.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fdgth.2024.1287186/fullself-managed abortiongenerative artificial intelligenceChatGPThealth misinformationreproductive healthhealth communication |
| spellingShingle | Hayley V. McMahon Hayley V. McMahon Bryan D. McMahon Automating untruths: ChatGPT, self-managed medication abortion, and the threat of misinformation in a post-Roe world Frontiers in Digital Health self-managed abortion generative artificial intelligence ChatGPT health misinformation reproductive health health communication |
| title | Automating untruths: ChatGPT, self-managed medication abortion, and the threat of misinformation in a post-Roe world |
| title_full | Automating untruths: ChatGPT, self-managed medication abortion, and the threat of misinformation in a post-Roe world |
| title_fullStr | Automating untruths: ChatGPT, self-managed medication abortion, and the threat of misinformation in a post-Roe world |
| title_full_unstemmed | Automating untruths: ChatGPT, self-managed medication abortion, and the threat of misinformation in a post-Roe world |
| title_short | Automating untruths: ChatGPT, self-managed medication abortion, and the threat of misinformation in a post-Roe world |
| title_sort | automating untruths chatgpt self managed medication abortion and the threat of misinformation in a post roe world |
| topic | self-managed abortion generative artificial intelligence ChatGPT health misinformation reproductive health health communication |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fdgth.2024.1287186/full |
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