Chatbots and Vaccine Confidence: The Power of VWise

In this episode, Zaynab and Yassin explore how a low-cost chatbot, VWise, was developed in the UAE to combat COVID-19 vaccine misinformation. They dive into the research behind VWise, including its use of motivational interviewing techniques and conversational design to engage users on Facebook Messenger. The hosts discuss the chatbot's effectiveness in shifting perceptions about mRNA vaccines, even in a pilot study with just 33 participants. Could this simple yet powerful tool signal a future where chatbots play a key role in public health education? Tune in to find out how VWise might be paving the way for more accessible, empathetic digital health solutions.

Link to the publication: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecinn.2023.100239

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Zaynab: 00:00

Alright, everyone. Get ready because today, we're taking a deep dive into something kinda unexpected.

Yassin: 00:05

Yeah. This time, we're looking at the world of chatbots.

Zaynab: 00:08

Chatbots and, Public health. Okay. Now you're talking.

Yassin: 00:13

And more specifically, can we actually use these things like chatbots?

Zaynab: 00:16

To help people make good decisions.

Yassin: 00:18

Yeah. Smarter health choices without, you know, breaking the bank. Right. Like With limited resources.

Zaynab: 00:24

Exactly. Because not everyone has, you know, tons of money or fancy developers to make these things.

Yassin: 00:29

Yeah. Exactly. And that's what's so cool about this research study we're looking at.

Zaynab: 00:32

Okay.

Yassin: 00:33

They built this chatbot. It's called Vwise.

Zaynab: 00:36

Vwise.

Yassin: 00:37

And it's designed to tackle COVID 19 vaccine misinformation.

Zaynab: 00:41

Okay.

Yassin: 00:42

And they did the whole thing super cheap.

Zaynab: 00:44

Now that's my kind of project.

Yassin: 00:45

Right.

Zaynab: 00:45

So we're talking about a world where, like, anyone could build one of these things

Yassin: 00:49

Yeah.

Zaynab: 00:49

Theoretically. Without needing, you know

Yassin: 00:51

A big tech company behind them.

Zaynab: 00:52

Exactly. So tell me a little more about this vWise thing.

Yassin: 00:56

So picture this. You're scrolling through Facebook or whatever Uh-huh. And this friendly chatbot pops up.

Zaynab: 01:03

Okay.

Yassin: 01:03

Ready to debunk all those COVID vaccine myths you've been hearing?

Zaynab: 01:07

Like, it just appears.

Yassin: 01:09

Yeah. And it's not some expensive custom built software or anything.

Zaynab: 01:13

Right.

Yassin: 01:14

They made it using everyday tools like ManyChat and Facebook Messenger.

Zaynab: 01:19

Okay. So they're meeting people where they already are.

Yassin: 01:21

Exactly.

Zaynab: 01:22

Smart. But how do you make a chatbot on Facebook Messenger, you know Yeah. Persuasive enough to actually change someone's mind?

Yassin: 01:29

Right. Because these are big decisions we're talking

Zaynab: 01:31

about. Like, vaccines are a big deal.

Yassin: 01:33

This is where it gets really interesting. They actually used a technique called motivational interviewing.

Zaynab: 01:38

Motivational interviewing.

Yassin: 01:40

Yeah. It's something doctors use to guide their patients towards, you know

Zaynab: 01:44

Healthier choices.

Yassin: 01:45

Exactly.

Zaynab: 01:45

Okay.

Yassin: 01:46

They basically gave this chatbot therapy skills.

Zaynab: 01:49

Hold on. Wait. They taught a chatbot to be a therapist.

Yassin: 01:51

Well, kind of like a motivational interviewer.

Zaynab: 01:54

Okay. Still, that's next level.

Yassin: 01:55

It's surprisingly effective.

Zaynab: 01:57

Really?

Yassin: 01:58

Instead of just, like, you know, bombarding people with facts and figures.

Zaynab: 02:01

Right. Which never works.

Yassin: 02:03

VWise was designed to, like, ask open ended questions.

Zaynab: 02:07

Uh-huh.

Yassin: 02:07

Understand people's concerns and then gently guide them towards accurate information about vaccines.

Zaynab: 02:14

So it's more like a conversation with someone who's actually listening to you

Yassin: 02:17

Exactly.

Zaynab: 02:18

Than, you know, just a robot spitting out facts.

Yassin: 02:20

Right. It's about building a rapport.

Zaynab: 02:22

Okay. That makes a lot more sense.

Yassin: 02:23

Yeah.

Zaynab: 02:23

It's gotta feel personal. Right?

Yassin: 02:25

Exactly.

Zaynab: 02:25

You know, like a lecture.

Yassin: 02:26

That's the key.

Zaynab: 02:27

Okay. So they've built this empathetic chatbot.

Yassin: 02:30

Uh-huh.

Zaynab: 02:30

But did it actually work?

Yassin: 02:34

That's the $1,000,000 question. Right?

Zaynab: 02:35

Right. Did people actually open up to this thing?

Yassin: 02:38

So they ran a pilot study.

Zaynab: 02:40

Okay.

Yassin: 02:40

33 people. 33 people?

Zaynab: 02:43

That's not a lot of people.

Yassin: 02:44

It's not a huge sample size.

Zaynab: 02:46

Right.

Yassin: 02:46

But the whole point of this, remember Yeah. Was to see if they could do something impactful

Zaynab: 02:51

Right.

Yassin: 02:51

With limited resources.

Zaynab: 02:53

Makes sense. You gotta start somewhere.

Yassin: 02:54

Exactly.

Zaynab: 02:55

Okay. So 33 people, they volunteered to chat with this, vWise. Yeah. What happened?

Yassin: 03:03

So think about it like this.

Zaynab: 03:05

Okay.

Yassin: 03:05

Not everyone who starts talking to a chatbot Right. Actually sticks around.

Zaynab: 03:10

Oh, yeah. I've abandoned plenty of chatbots in my day Exactly. When they're not helping.

Yassin: 03:13

Frustrating.

Zaynab: 03:14

Right. Worse.

Yassin: 03:15

But here's the thing. More than half the participants, 17 people

Zaynab: 03:20

17 out of 33.

Yassin: 03:22

Stuck with it Wow. All the way to the end.

Zaynab: 03:24

They actually completed the whole chat.

Yassin: 03:26

Yeah.

Zaynab: 03:26

Wow. So they were finding it useful.

Yassin: 03:28

It seems like take. Definitely more engaging than your average, like, customer service chat bot.

Zaynab: 03:33

For sure.

Yassin: 03:35

And get this.

Zaynab: 03:35

Okay.

Yassin: 03:36

Twelve people liked it so much.

Zaynab: 03:38

Twelve people?

Yassin: 03:39

They went back for a second chat.

Zaynab: 03:41

No way.

Yassin: 03:41

Yeah. They gave it glowing reviews.

Zaynab: 03:43

What? Like, what were they saying?

Yassin: 03:45

They said it was easy to use Okay. Explain things clearly.

Zaynab: 03:49

Mhmm.

Yassin: 03:49

And it had a surprisingly realistic personality.

Zaynab: 03:52

Okay. A chatbot with a personality, I'm intrigued.

Yassin: 03:55

Right.

Zaynab: 03:56

But let's be real here. Did it actually work?

Yassin: 04:00

What do you mean?

Zaynab: 04:01

Did chatting with vWise actually change anyone's mind about vaccines?

Yassin: 04:05

Okay. That's a real question, isn't it?

Zaynab: 04:07

That's the $1,000,000 question.

Yassin: 04:08

Right. Because we have to remember

Zaynab: 04:09

Yeah.

Yassin: 04:10

This chatbot wasn't some kind of super intelligent AI

Zaynab: 04:14

Right.

Yassin: 04:15

Debating the finer points of vaccine science.

Zaynab: 04:17

Right. It wasn't like a debate champion. It wasn't like a debate champion or anything.

Yassin: 04:20

Exactly. More like a friendly guide.

Zaynab: 04:22

Right.

Yassin: 04:23

But here's the thing. Even without being able to have these, like, super complex arguments Yeah. V wise still got people thinking differently.

Zaynab: 04:33

Really? Like, how

Yassin: 04:34

So some people who started the chat feeling hesitant about vaccines

Zaynab: 04:39

Mhmm.

Yassin: 04:40

Actually said things like K. This makes me feel more confident about taking the vaccine. Wow. Or it's good to be informed. Now I understand what mRNA even means.

Zaynab: 04:49

So it's like planting these seeds. Right?

Yassin: 04:51

Like, they might not be ready to go get vaccinated right that second. Right. But it's making them think about it differently.

Zaynab: 04:57

Exactly.

Yassin: 04:57

And that's a big deal.

Zaynab: 04:58

That's huge.

Yassin: 04:59

Because this study is challenging this assumption. Right? Yeah. That only these really advanced expensive AI systems can make a difference.

Zaynab: 05:08

Like, we don't need to wait for some supercomputer.

Yassin: 05:10

Exactly. Sometimes a simple well designed chatbot

Zaynab: 05:14

Especially one that's empathetic.

Yassin: 05:16

Yes. Exactly. That's key.

Zaynab: 05:17

Can make a real impact.

Yassin: 05:19

Absolutely.

Zaynab: 05:20

This is really cool. I love it.

Yassin: 05:21

It opens up so many possibilities. Right? Yeah. Imagine a world where everyone has access to these kinds of chatbots

Zaynab: 05:28

Like readily available health information

Yassin: 05:31

Whenever they need it.

Zaynab: 05:32

Without having to go, like, book a doctor's appointment.

Yassin: 05:34

Exactly. It could really change things.

Zaynab: 05:36

That's the future of public health right there.

Yassin: 05:38

It just might be.

Zaynab: 05:39

And you don't even need to be, like, a tech genius to make it happen. Right? That's the best part. This research shows that anyone can create something impactful.

Yassin: 05:48

With the right tools and a little creativity.

Zaynab: 05:51

So the next time you hear someone say that, like, tackling misinformation is just too hard Yeah. Remember ViewWise.

Yassin: 05:58

Exactly.

Zaynab: 05:58

It proves that even a simple chatbot can make a real difference.

Yassin: 06:02

A well designed one, of course.

Zaynab: 06:03

Of course.

Yassin: 06:04

But, yeah, that's the takeaway here.

Zaynab: 06:05

So maybe this deep dive will inspire someone out there listening to build the next fee wise.

Yassin: 06:11

That's what we're hoping for.

Zaynab: 06:12

What health issue were you passionate about? Could a chatbot be the answer?

Yassin: 06:16

Think about it.

Zaynab: 06:17

Until next time. Keep asking questions, keep diving deep, and keep learning.