AI Chatbots Rival Doctors in Accuracy for Back Pain Advice

A new study reveals that artificial intelligence chatbots, such as ChatGPT, may be almost as effective as consulting a doctor for advice on low back pain.

Conducted by an international team, the research sheds light on the potential of AI in addressing one of the world's leading causes of disability.

Associate Professor Bruno Tirotti Saragiotto, research co-author and Head of Physiotherapy at The University of Technology Sydney (UTS), said the study intended to evaluate how effectively AI chatbots like ChatGPT answer common questions posed by individuals experiencing low back pain.

The study, Assessing the performance of AI chatbots in answering patients' common questions about low back pain, was recently published in the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

Low back pain affects millions globally, often prompting sufferers to seek information online.

As AI-powered chatbots become increasingly common in offering health recommendations, understanding the accuracy of their recommendations is important.

"The findings show that AI chatbots can offer advice with accuracy levels comparable to those reported by healthcare professionals in Australia," said Associate Professor Saragiotto.

The research found that AI chatbots excelled in answering questions related to suggested treatment and self-management, while risk factors had the most inaccuracies.

Questions such as "What complementary therapies like massage or acupuncture could alleviate lower back pain?" received accurate recommendations. The study also noted that AI chatbots consistently recommended exercise for preventing and managing low back pain, which is considered an accurate recommendation.

However, the study also showed that AI chatbots provided inaccurate recommendations to other commonly asked questions. For example, while poor posture does not cause low back pain, AI chatbots said that it does 88% of the time.

Another key observation was the ability of AI chatbots to recognise situations requiring medical referrals. In cases where professional care should be recommended, the AI systems advised users to consult a healthcare provider in 70-100% of instances.

"Our research indicates that AI chatbots have the potential to be a valuable resource for those seeking initial guidance on managing low back pain," said Dr Giovanni Ferreira, Research Fellow at the University of Sydney Institute for Musculoskeletal Health, and one of the authors of the study.

"It's important to note that these tools should complement, not replace, professional medical advice." said Dr Ferreira.

Despite these encouraging results, researchers identified limitations in the AI chatbots' performance. Notably, responses were often complex, with a readability level suitable for individuals with a 10th to 12th-grade or university-level education.

"While the accuracy of the AI-generated advice was impressive, we must consider the accessibility of this information," said Associate Professor Saragiotto.

"Ensuring that health guidance is understandable to a broad audience remains an important challenge in the development of AI health tools."

The research comes at a time of increasing reliance on digital health information, with many patients turning to online resources before or instead of consulting a healthcare professional.

Associate Professor Saragiotto stressed the importance of recognising both the capabilities and limitations of AI resources in managing common health concerns like low back pain.

"As AI technology continues to evolve, further research will be necessary to refine these tools and ensure they can provide accurate, accessible, and safe health information to the public," he said.

Scaff SPS, Reis FJJ, Ferreira GE, Jacob MF, Saragiotto BT.
Assessing the performance of AI chatbots in answering patients' common questions about low back pain.
Ann Rheum Dis. 2024 Sep 18:ard-2024-226202. doi: 10.1136/ard-2024-226202

Most Popular Now

Stepping Hill Hospital Announced as SPAR…

Stepping Hill Hospital, part of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, has replaced its bedside units with state-of-the art devices running a full range of information, engagement, communications and productivity apps, to...

DMEA 2025: Digital Health Worldwide in B…

8 - 10 April 2025, Berlin, Germany. From the AI Act, to the potential of the European Health Data Space, to the power of patient data in Scandinavia - DMEA 2025...

Is AI in Medicine Playing Fair?

As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly integrates into health care, a new study by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai reveals that all generative AI models may...

Generative AI's Diagnostic Capabili…

The use of generative AI for diagnostics has attracted attention in the medical field and many research papers have been published on this topic. However, because the evaluation criteria were...

New System for the Early Detection of Au…

A team from the Human-Tech Institute-Universitat Politècnica de València has developed a new system for the early detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) using virtual reality and artificial intelligence. The...

Diagnoses and Treatment Recommendations …

A new study led by Prof. Dan Zeltzer, a digital health expert from the Berglas School of Economics at Tel Aviv University, compared the quality of diagnostic and treatment recommendations...

AI Tool can Track Effectiveness of Multi…

A new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can help interpret and assess how well treatments are working for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) has been developed by UCL researchers. AI uses...

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust g…

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust has marked an important milestone in connecting busy radiologists across large parts of South East England, following the successful go live of Sectra's enterprise...

Dr Jason Broch Joins the Highland Market…

The Highland Marketing advisory board has welcomed a new member - Dr Jason Broch, a GP and director with a strong track record in the NHS and IT-enabled transformation. Dr Broch...

DMEA 2025 Ends with Record Attendance an…

8 - 10 April 2025, Berlin, Germany. DMEA 2025 came to a successful close with record attendance and an impressive program. 20,500 participants attended Europe's leading digital health event over the...

Multi-Resistance in Bacteria Predicted b…

An AI model trained on large amounts of genetic data can predict whether bacteria will become antibiotic-resistant. The new study shows that antibiotic resistance is more easily transmitted between genetically...

AI-Driven Smart Devices to Transform Hea…

AI-powered, internet-connected medical devices have the potential to revolutionise healthcare by enabling early disease detection, real-time patient monitoring, and personalised treatments, a new study suggests. They are already saving lives...