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Patients still prefer human providers, but past stigma is linked to more chatbot trust

Study title: Patient trust in medical AI: Conditions under which chatbots are preferred over human providers

Two scenario-based experiments tested how patients judge a medical chatbot against a human provider. One compared trust in each provider type, and the other examined which one people chose when wait times differed. Trust was measured through perceived accuracy and bias, alongside past stigma experiences and comfort with medical AI.

Read the study abstract

Background Artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including medical chatbots, are increasingly integrated into health care delivery. While prior research emphasizes diagnostic accuracy and usability, less is known about the psychological and contextual factors that shape patients' trust and preferences for AI versus human providers, particularly among patients who have experienced medical stigma. Purpose This study investigates when and why patients may prefer medical chatbots over human providers, focusing on the…

By the Truvace desk1 min read1 sourceEvidence: Moderate · 68/100 — Controlled or validated comparison · n = 750 · 1 independent sourcePeer-reviewedTRV-2026-2360· cite & verify
Patient trust in medical AI: Conditions under which chatbots are preferred over human providers
"AI Expo (chatbot characters)" by nakashi is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/.

In brief

The results suggest that acceptance of AI in care is not uniform. Chatbots might help widen access and build trust among marginalized groups, particularly for low-stakes concerns. Because the work relies on hypothetical scenarios rather than real care encounters, it remains unclear whether the stated preferences would carry over to actual clinical settings.

Main points

  1. Overall, participants preferred human providers to the medical chatbot.
  2. Higher comfort with medical AI was linked to greater trust in the chatbot.
  3. Prior experiences of stigma, such as related to weight, mental health, or gender identity, were also linked to greater chatbot trust.
  4. Moderation analysis found significant interactions between provider type, comfort with medical AI, and stigma history.

The gain

In two hypothetical-scenario experiments with 750 participants, those with past medical stigma or more comfort with medical AI reported greater trust in a chatbot, though overall people preferred human providers.

The rundown

The study ran two scenario-based experiments: one with 300 participants comparing trust in a chatbot versus a human provider, and one with 450 participants choosing between them depending on wait time.

Measures covered trust in the provider, including perceived accuracy and bias, plus past experiences of medical stigma and comfort with medical AI. The authors conclude that preferences for AI-driven care are conditional.

For practice, the authors note that providers face high caseloads and appointment allocation challenges. They suggest that chatbots in care pathways could improve access and trust among marginalized populations for low-stakes concerns, as cost-effective, patient-centered options in selected contexts.

Sources

  1. Peer-reviewedHealth Care Management Review2026-11-03

The debate