Children (Feb 2024)

Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Pediatric Healthcare: Parental Perceptions and Ethical Implications

  • Elena Camelia Berghea,
  • Marcela Daniela Ionescu,
  • Radu Marian Gheorghiu,
  • Iulia Florentina Tincu,
  • Claudia Oana Cobilinschi,
  • Mihai Craiu,
  • Mihaela Bălgrădean,
  • Florian Berghea

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/children11020240
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 2
p. 240

Abstract

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Background: Our study aimed to explore the way artificial intelligence (AI) utilization is perceived in pediatric medicine, examining its acceptance among patients (in this case represented by their adult parents), and identify the challenges it presents in order to understand the factors influencing its adoption in clinical settings. Methods: A structured questionnaire was applied to caregivers (parents or grandparents) of children who presented in tertiary pediatric clinics. Results: The most significant differentiations were identified in relation to the level of education (e.g., aversion to AI involvement was 22.2% among those with postgraduate degrees, 43.9% among those with university degrees, and 54.5% among those who only completed high school). The greatest fear among respondents regarding the medical use of AI was related to the possibility of errors occurring (70.1%). Conclusions: The general attitude toward the use of AI can be considered positive, provided that it remains human-supervised, and that the technology used is explained in detail by the physician. However, there were large differences among groups (mainly defined by education level) in the way AI is perceived and accepted.

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