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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Frontiers in Public Health

Public knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of the use of ChatGPT for self-diagnosis, health information, and medication use: a cross-sectional study

  • Mohammad S. Alzahrani1
  • Daniyah A. Almarghalani2,3
  • Alaa M. Hammad4
  • Adnan Alharbi5
  • Manar khaled Alhayfani2
  • Mohammed S. Alharthi1
  • Tahani Momenah2
  • Khulood A. Almehmadi6
  • Amal H. Alzahrani6
  • Daniyah Mansour Alazwari2
  • Ahdab Safar Althobaiti2
  • Mjd Awadh Alkhudaidi2
3 more authors
  • Ekram Saad Aljudayi2
  • Dimah Zuwayyid Alsufyani2
  • Hawazin Saleh Alsufyani2
6 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taif University
  2. 2Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Taif University
  3. 3Stroke Research Unit, Taif University
  4. 4Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan
  5. 5Pharmaceutical Practices Department, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University
  6. 6Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University
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Abstract

Background: The increasing availability of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, has changed the ways individuals access health information. While these technologies offer rapid, convenient access to information, concerns remain about their accuracy, safety, and potential influence on health-related decision-making. Understanding public knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions toward ChatGPT is essential to support its safe and responsible use in healthcare contexts.

Objective: To assess the use of ChatGPT for health-related purposes and examine demographic, knowledge, attitude, perception, and risk–reward appraisal factors associated with its use among adults recruited from the Western Region of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 735 participants completed an online questionnaire. The instrument selected constructs from the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and was informed by the technology acceptance model (TAM), which captures demographics, health literacy, ChatGPT use, and multi-item Likert scales measuring knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and risk–reward appraisal. We applied descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, t tests, ANOVA, and multivariable binary logistic regression.

Results: Overall, 66.3% of the participants reported using ChatGPT for health-related purposes. The participants demonstrated good awareness of ChatGPT’s limitations, particularly the importance of consulting healthcare professionals for accurate diagnosis and safe medication use (mean = 4.58 ± 0.74). Attitudes toward ChatGPT were moderate, whereas perceptions of its usefulness and accessibility were generally positive. Compared with nonusers, ChatGPT users presented significantly higher attitudes, perceptions, and risk–reward appraisal scores (all p < 0.01), whereas knowledge scores were comparable between the two groups. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, compared with participants aged ≥45 years, those aged 18–24 years (aOR = 5.37, 95% CI: 2.34–12.34, p < 0.001) and 25–44 years (aOR = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.32–3.96, p = 0.003) had higher odds of reported use. Participants with a bachelor’s degree (aOR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.15–2.89, p = 0.011) or postgraduate education (aOR = 2.80, 95% CI: 1.34–5.85, p = 0.006), as well as students (aOR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.29–5.09, p = 0.007), also had higher odds of use. Higher total perception scores were independently associated with reported ChatGPT use (aOR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.12–1.26, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: ChatGPT is widely used for health-related purposes, particularly among younger and more educated individuals. Despite good awareness of its limitations, more favorable perceptions were independently associated with reported use, emphasizing the need for digital health literacy and guidance for safe AI use in healthcare.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{alzahrani2026public,
  title = {{Public knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of the use of ChatGPT for self-diagnosis, health information, and medication use: a cross-sectional study}},
  author = {Mohammad S. Alzahrani and Daniyah A. Almarghalani and Alaa M. Hammad and Adnan Alharbi and Manar khaled Alhayfani and Mohammed S. Alharthi and Tahani Momenah and Khulood A. Almehmadi and Amal H. Alzahrani and Daniyah Mansour Alazwari and Ahdab Safar Althobaiti and Mjd Awadh Alkhudaidi and Ekram Saad Aljudayi and Dimah Zuwayyid Alsufyani and Hawazin Saleh Alsufyani},
  journal = {Frontiers in Public Health},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2026.1936664},
  url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1936664/full},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Public knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of the use of ChatGPT for self-diagnosis, health information, and medication use: a cross-sectional study
AU  - Mohammad S. Alzahrani
AU  - Daniyah A. Almarghalani
AU  - Alaa M. Hammad
AU  - Adnan Alharbi
AU  - Manar khaled Alhayfani
AU  - Mohammed S. Alharthi
AU  - Tahani Momenah
AU  - Khulood A. Almehmadi
AU  - Amal H. Alzahrani
AU  - Daniyah Mansour Alazwari
AU  - Ahdab Safar Althobaiti
AU  - Mjd Awadh Alkhudaidi
AU  - Ekram Saad Aljudayi
AU  - Dimah Zuwayyid Alsufyani
AU  - Hawazin Saleh Alsufyani
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/16
JO  - Frontiers in Public Health
DO  - 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1936664
UR  - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1936664/full
AB  - Background: The increasing availability of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, has changed the ways individuals access health information. While these technologies offer rapid, convenient access to information, concerns remain about their accuracy, safety, and potential influence on health-related decision-making. Understanding public knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions toward ChatGPT is essential to support its safe and responsible use in healthcare contexts.  Objective: To assess the use of ChatGPT for health-related purposes and examine demographic, knowledge, attitude, perception, and risk–reward appraisal factors associated with its use among adults recruited from the Western Region of Saudi Arabia.  Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 735 participants completed an online questionnaire. The instrument selected constructs from the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and was informed by the technology acceptance model (TAM), which captures demographics, health literacy, ChatGPT use, and multi-item Likert scales measuring knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and risk–reward appraisal. We applied descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, t tests, ANOVA, and multivariable binary logistic regression.  Results: Overall, 66.3% of the participants reported using ChatGPT for health-related purposes. The participants demonstrated good awareness of ChatGPT’s limitations, particularly the importance of consulting healthcare professionals for accurate diagnosis and safe medication use (mean = 4.58 ± 0.74). Attitudes toward ChatGPT were moderate, whereas perceptions of its usefulness and accessibility were generally positive. Compared with nonusers, ChatGPT users presented significantly higher attitudes, perceptions, and risk–reward appraisal scores (all p < 0.01), whereas knowledge scores were comparable between the two groups. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, compared with participants aged ≥45 years, those aged 18–24 years (aOR = 5.37, 95% CI: 2.34–12.34, p < 0.001) and 25–44 years (aOR = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.32–3.96, p = 0.003) had higher odds of reported use. Participants with a bachelor’s degree (aOR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.15–2.89, p = 0.011) or postgraduate education (aOR = 2.80, 95% CI: 1.34–5.85, p = 0.006), as well as students (aOR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.29–5.09, p = 0.007), also had higher odds of use. Higher total perception scores were independently associated with reported ChatGPT use (aOR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.12–1.26, p < 0.001).  Conclusion: ChatGPT is widely used for health-related purposes, particularly among younger and more educated individuals. Despite good awareness of its limitations, more favorable perceptions were independently associated with reported use, emphasizing the need for digital health literacy and guidance for safe AI use in healthcare.
SN  - 2296-2565
ER  -