Characteristics of Users and Nonusers of Symptom Checkers in Germany: Cross-Sectional Survey Study

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have revealed that users of symptom checkers (SCs, apps that support self-diagnosis and self-triage) are predominantly female, are younger than average, and have higher levels of formal education. Little data are available for Germany, and no study has so far compared usage patterns with people's awareness of SCs and the perception of usefulness.

OBJECTIVE

We explored the sociodemographic and individual characteristics that are associated with the awareness, usage, and perceived usefulness of SCs in the German population.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional online survey among 1084 German residents in July 2022 regarding personal characteristics and people's awareness and usage of SCs. Using random sampling from a commercial panel, we collected participant responses stratified by gender, state of residence, income, and age to reflect the German population. We analyzed the collected data exploratively.

RESULTS

Of all respondents, 16.3% (177/1084) were aware of SCs and 6.5% (71/1084) had used them before. Those aware of SCs were younger (mean 38.8, SD 14.6 years, vs mean 48.3, SD 15.7 years), were more often female (107/177, 60.5%, vs 453/907, 49.9%), and had higher formal education levels (eg, 72/177, 40.7%, vs 238/907, 26.2%, with a university/college degree) than those unaware. The same observation applied to users compared to nonusers. It disappeared, however, when comparing users to nonusers who were aware of SCs. Among users, 40.8% (29/71) considered these tools useful. Those considering them useful reported higher self-efficacy (mean 4.21, SD 0.66, vs mean 3.63, SD 0.81, on a scale of 1-5) and a higher net household income (mean EUR 2591.63, SD EUR 1103.96 [mean US $2798.96, SD US $1192.28], vs mean EUR 1626.60, SD EUR 649.05 [mean US $1756.73, SD US $700.97]) than those who considered them not useful. More women considered SCs unhelpful (13/44, 29.5%) compared to men (4/26, 15.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

Concurring with studies from other countries, our findings show associations between sociodemographic characteristics and SC usage in a German sample: users were on average younger, of higher socioeconomic status, and more commonly female compared to nonusers. However, usage cannot be explained by sociodemographic differences alone. It rather seems that sociodemographics explain who is or is not aware of the technology, but those who are aware of SCs are equally likely to use them, independently of sociodemographic differences. Although in some groups (eg, people with anxiety disorder), more participants reported to know and use SCs, they tended to perceive them as less useful. In other groups (eg, male participants), fewer respondents were aware of SCs, but those who used them perceived them to be more useful. Thus, SCs should be designed to fit specific user needs, and strategies should be developed to help reach individuals who could benefit but are not aware of SCs yet.

How suitable are clinical vignettes for the evaluation of symptom checker apps? A test theoretical perspective

Objective

To evaluate the ability of case vignettes to assess the performance of symptom checker applications and to suggest refinements to the methodology used in case vignette-based audit studies.

Methods

We re-analyzed the publicly available data of two prominent case vignette-based symptom checker audit studies by calculating common metrics of test theory. Furthermore, we developed a new metric, the Capability Comparison Score (CCS), which compares symptom checker capability while controlling for the difficulty of the set of cases each symptom checker evaluated. We then scrutinized whether applying test theory and the CCS altered the performance ranking of the investigated symptom checkers.

Results

In both studies, most symptom checkers changed their rank order when adjusting the triage capability for item difficulty (ID) with the CCS. The previously reported triage accuracies commonly overestimated the capability of symptom checkers because they did not account for the fact that symptom checkers tend to selectively appraise easier cases (i.e., with high ID values). Also, many case vignettes in both studies showed insufficient (very low and even negative) values of item-total correlation (ITC), suggesting that individual items or the composition of item sets are of low quality.

Conclusions

A test-theoretic perspective helps identify previously undetected threats to the validity of case vignette-based symptom checker assessments and provides guidance and specific metrics to improve the quality of case vignettes, in particular by controlling for the difficulty of the vignettes an app was (not) able to evaluate correctly. Such measures might prove more meaningful than accuracy alone for the competitive assessment of symptom checkers. Our approach helps elaborate and standardize the methodology used for appraising symptom checker capability, which, ultimately, may yield more reliable results.

Examining the impact of a symptom assessment application on patient-physician interaction among self-referred walk-in patients in the emergency department (AKUSYM): study protocol for a multi-center, randomized controlled, parallel-group superiority trial

Background

Due to the increasing use of online health information, symptom checkers have been developed to provide an individualized assessment of health complaints and provide potential diagnoses and an urgency estimation. It is assumed that they support patient empowerment and have a positive impact on patient-physician interaction and satisfaction with care. Particularly in the emergency department (ED), symptom checkers could be integrated to bridge waiting times in the ED, and patients as well as physicians could take advantage of potential positive effects. Our study therefore aims to assess the impact of symptom assessment application (SAA) usage compared to no SAA usage on the patient-physician interaction in self-referred walk-in patients in the ED population.

Methods

In this multi-center, 1:1 randomized, controlled, parallel-group superiority trial, 440 self-referred adult walk-in patients with a non-urgent triage category will be recruited in three EDs in Berlin. Eligible participants in the intervention group will use a SAA directly after initial triage. The control group receives standard care without using a SAA. The primary endpoint is patients’ satisfaction with the patient-physician interaction assessed by the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire.

Discussion

The results of this trial could influence the implementation of SAA into acute care to improve the satisfaction with the patient-physician interaction.

Trial registration

German Clinical Trials Registry DRKS00028598. Registered on 25.03.2022

Triage Accuracy of Symptom Checker Apps: 5-Year Follow-up Evaluation

Background

Symptom checkers are digital tools assisting laypersons in self-assessing the urgency and potential causes of their medical complaints. They are widely used but face concerns from both patients and health care professionals, especially regarding their accuracy. A 2015 landmark study substantiated these concerns using case vignettes to demonstrate that symptom checkers commonly err in their triage assessment.

Objective

This study aims to revisit the landmark index study to investigate whether and how symptom checkers’ capabilities have evolved since 2015 and how they currently compare with laypersons’ stand-alone triage appraisal.

Methods

In early 2020, we searched for smartphone and web-based applications providing triage advice. We evaluated these apps on the same 45 case vignettes as the index study. Using descriptive statistics, we compared our findings with those of the index study and with publicly available data on laypersons’ triage capability.

Results

We retrieved 22 symptom checkers providing triage advice. The median triage accuracy in 2020 (55.8%, IQR 15.1%) was close to that in 2015 (59.1%, IQR 15.5%). The apps in 2020 were less risk averse (odds 1.11:1, the ratio of overtriage errors to undertriage errors) than those in 2015 (odds 2.82:1), missing >40% of emergencies. Few apps outperformed laypersons in either deciding whether emergency care was required or whether self-care was sufficient. No apps outperformed the laypersons on both decisions.

Conclusions

Triage performance of symptom checkers has, on average, not improved over the course of 5 years. It decreased in 2 use cases (advice on when emergency care is required and when no health care is needed for the moment). However, triage capability varies widely within the sample of symptom checkers. Whether it is beneficial to seek advice from symptom checkers depends on the app chosen and on the specific question to be answered. Future research should develop resources (eg, case vignette repositories) to audit the capabilities of symptom checkers continuously and independently and provide guidance on when and to whom they should be recommended.

Triage Capability of Laypersons: Retrospective, Exploratory Analysis (Preprint)

Background

Although medical decision-making may be thought of as a task involving health professionals, many decisions, including critical health–related decisions are made by laypersons alone. Specifically, as the first step to most care episodes, it is the patient who determines whether and where to seek health care (triage). Overcautious self-assessments (ie, overtriaging) may lead to overutilization of health care facilities and overcrowded emergency departments, whereas imprudent decisions (ie, undertriaging) constitute a risk to the patient’s health. Recently, patient-facing decision support systems, commonly known as symptom checkers, have been developed to assist laypersons in these decisions.

Objective

The purpose of this study is to identify factors influencing laypersons’ ability to self-triage and their risk averseness in self-triage decisions.

Methods

We analyzed publicly available data on 91 laypersons appraising 45 short fictitious patient descriptions (case vignettes; N=4095 appraisals). Using signal detection theory and descriptive and inferential statistics, we explored whether the type of medical decision laypersons face, their confidence in their decision, and sociodemographic factors influence their triage accuracy and the type of errors they make. We distinguished between 2 decisions: whether emergency care was required (decision 1) and whether self-care was sufficient (decision 2).

Results

The accuracy of detecting emergencies (decision 1) was higher (mean 82.2%, SD 5.9%) than that of deciding whether any type of medical care is required (decision 2, mean 75.9%, SD 5.25%; t_>90=8.4; P<.001; Cohen d=0.9). Sensitivity for decision 1 was lower (mean 67.5%, SD 16.4%) than its specificity (mean 89.6%, SD 8.6%) whereas sensitivity for decision 2 was higher (mean 90.5%, SD 8.3%) than its specificity (mean 46.7%, SD 15.95%). Female participants were more risk averse and overtriaged more often than male participants, but age and level of education showed no association with participants’ risk averseness. Participants’ triage accuracy was higher when they were certain about their appraisal (2114/3381, 62.5%) than when being uncertain (378/714, 52.9%). However, most errors occurred when participants were certain of their decision (1267/1603, 79%). Participants were more commonly certain of their overtriage errors (mean 80.9%, SD 23.8%) than their undertriage errors (mean 72.5%, SD 30.9%; t_>89=3.7; P<.001; d=0.39).

Conclusions

Our study suggests that laypersons are overcautious in deciding whether they require medical care at all, but they miss identifying a considerable portion of emergencies. Our results further indicate that women are more risk averse than men in both types of decisions. Layperson participants made most triage errors when they were certain of their own appraisal. Thus, they might not follow or even seek advice (eg, from symptom checkers) in most instances where advice would be useful.

Interactive versus static decision support tools for COVID-19: An experimental comparison

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical laypersons with symptoms indicative of a COVID-19 infection commonly sought guidance on whether and where to find medical care. Numerous web-based decision support tools (DSTs) have been developed, both by public and commercial stakeholders, to assist their decision making. Though most of the DSTs’ underlying algorithms are similar and simple decision trees, their mode of presentation differs: some DSTs present a static flowchart, while others are designed as a conversational agent, guiding the user through the decision tree’s nodes step-by-step in an interactive manner.

Objective

This study aims to investigate whether interactive DSTs provide greater decision support than noninteractive (ie, static) flowcharts.

Methods

We developed mock interfaces for 2 DSTs (1 static, 1 interactive), mimicking patient-facing, freely available DSTs for COVID-19-related self-assessment. Their underlying algorithm was identical and based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines. We recruited adult US residents online in November 2020. Participants appraised the appropriate social and care-seeking behavior for 7 fictitious descriptions of patients (case vignettes). Participants in the experimental groups received either the static or the interactive mock DST as support, while the control group appraised the case vignettes unsupported. We determined participants’ accuracy, decision certainty (after deciding), and mental effort to measure the quality of decision support. Participants’ ratings of the DSTs’ usefulness, ease of use, trust, and future intention to use the tools served as measures to analyze differences in participants’ perception of the tools. We used ANOVAs and t tests to assess statistical significance.

Results

Our survey yielded 196 responses. The mean number of correct assessments was higher in the intervention groups (interactive DST group: mean 11.71, SD 2.37; static DST group: mean 11.45, SD 2.48) than in the control group (mean 10.17, SD 2.00). Decisional certainty was significantly higher in the experimental groups (interactive DST group: mean 80.7%, SD 14.1%; static DST group: mean 80.5%, SD 15.8%) compared to the control group (mean 65.8%, SD 20.8%). The differences in these measures proved statistically significant in t tests comparing each intervention group with the control group (P<.001 for all 4 t tests). ANOVA detected no significant differences regarding mental effort between the 3 study groups. Differences between the 2 intervention groups were of small effect sizes and nonsignificant for all 3 measures of the quality of decision support and most measures of participants’ perception of the DSTs.

Conclusions

When the decision space is limited, as is the case in common COVID-19 self-assessment DSTs, static flowcharts might prove as beneficial in enhancing decision quality as interactive tools. Given that static flowcharts reveal the underlying decision algorithm more transparently and require less effort to develop, they might prove more efficient in providing guidance to the public. Further research should validate our findings on different use cases, elaborate on the trade-off between transparency and convenience in DSTs, and investigate whether subgroups of users benefit more with 1 type of user interface than the other.

Trial Registration

Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien DRKS00028136; https://tinyurl.com/4bcfausx (retrospectively registered)

Trust Me, I’m Not a Doctor! Determinants of Laypersons’ Trust in Medical Decision Aids: Experimental Study (Preprint)

Background

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Trial Registration

Benchmarking Triage Capability of Symptom Checkers Against That of Medical Laypersons: Survey Study

Background

Symptom checkers (SCs) are tools developed to provide clinical decision support to laypersons. Apart from suggesting probable diagnoses, they commonly advise when users should seek care (triage advice). SCs have become increasingly popular despite prior studies rating their performance as mediocre. To date, it is unclear whether SCs can triage better than those who might choose to use them.

Objective

This study aims to compare triage accuracy between SCs and their potential users (ie, laypersons).

Methods

On Amazon Mechanical Turk, we recruited 91 adults from the United States who had no professional medical background. In a web-based survey, the participants evaluated 45 fictitious clinical case vignettes. Data for 15 SCs that had processed the same vignettes were obtained from a previous study. As main outcome measures, we assessed the accuracy of the triage assessments made by participants and SCs for each of the three triage levels (ie, emergency care, nonemergency care, self-care) and overall, the proportion of participants outperforming each SC in terms of accuracy, and the risk aversion of participants and SCs by comparing the proportion of cases that were overtriaged.

Results

The mean overall triage accuracy was similar for participants (60.9%, SD 6.8%; 95% CI 59.5%-62.3%) and SCs (58%, SD 12.8%). Most participants outperformed all but 5 SCs. On average, SCs more reliably detected emergencies (80.6%, SD 17.9%) than laypersons did (67.5%, SD 16.4%; 95% CI 64.1%-70.8%). Although both SCs and participants struggled with cases requiring self-care (the least urgent triage category), SCs more often wrongly classified these cases as emergencies (43/174, 24.7%) compared with laypersons (56/1365, 4.10%).

Conclusions

Most SCs had no greater triage capability than an average layperson, although the triage accuracy of the five best SCs was superior to the accuracy of most participants. SCs might improve early detection of emergencies but might also needlessly increase resource utilization in health care. Laypersons sometimes require support in deciding when to rely on self-care but it is in that very situation where SCs perform the worst. Further research is needed to determine how to best combine the strengths of humans and SCs.