TECHNOLOGY ASSISTED SEXUAL HEALTH AGENT (TASHA): A CONVERSATIONAL AGENT FOR PATIENT DECISION MAKING ON THE MANAGEMENT OF CERVICAL DYSPLASIA/CANCER
Many women are not able to interpret PAP smear reports nor do they understand the risks from the management of cervical dysplasia involving surgery, excision and ablative procedures. As a result, women are not able to make an informed decision about treatment options for managing cervical dysplasia. Women and physicians are also reluctant to discuss female sexual health including the associated risks of these procedures to sexual functioning.
Method(s):
Technology Assisted Sexual Health Agent (TASHA) educates women about female sexual anatomy, the understanding of PAP smear results and the associated risks of the treatments for cervical dysplasia/cancer. TASHA is a conversational agent for women who are facing the decision of a gynecological procedure or surgery for the management of cervical dysplasia. TASHA teaches women, using inquiry, an embodied conversational agent, diagrams, examples, definitions, and text, by describing female sexual anatomy, by educating women how to interpret PAP smear reports, by explaining treatment options for cervical dysplasia with the associated risks, and by suggesting questions to ask her health care provider. This research measures system usability by the patient. After using the system, a knowledge evaluation of the patient’s understanding of female sexual functioning, PAP smear results, and the management of cervical dysplasia with the associated risks is conducted. Acceptance and comfortability of women being educated about female sexual health, PAP smear results and management risks from a conversational agent are measured.
Result(s):
The results to be determined are as follows. 1) Can technology support women in understanding sexual health? 2) To what extent are women more comfortable being educated from an embodied conversational agent on the sensitive topic of sexual reproductive health, PAP smears, the treatments and risks for cervical dysplasia/cancer? 3) And, do women have an increased understanding of PAP smear results, the treatments with risks for cervical dysplasia/cancer from being educated by an embodied conversational agent?
Conclusion(s):
The evaluation of TASHA will determine if technology can educate and assist women in making informed decisions in the treatment of cervical dysplasia. TASHA enables and empowers women to take an active decision making role in their health care.