Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, Some Forms of Cancer Through the Use of Chatbots

Abstract

At present time in Ukraine, as well as all over the world, the significant and inreasing frequency of non-communicable diseases is detecting. According to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, the most common cause of death in 2021 and in previous years was cardiovascular disease (a total of 306,127 people died in the first nine months of 2021). The second most common cause of death is oncology. In first 10 months of 2021 55,828 Ukrainians died from cancer (in 2020 - 77,880 people). The focus of attention of the UN member states is on diseases of the cardio-vascular system, diabetes mellitus, neoplasms and chronic respiratory diseases. They lead to the long-term disability, reduced family welfare, and to the huge burden on the healthcare system, which requires additional financial investments.

Prevention of non-communicable diseases for primary care is regulated by the Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine “About the approval of the Procedures for primary care” from 19.03.2018 № 504, but due to migration of patients with the choice of a new doctor and transition to the electronic records which do not take into account the most prevalent risk factors, the process of primary prevention has become even more difficult.

At the same time, social networks and online resources have developed significantly, and its use to improve healthcare could be helpful. Many remote programs have already been developed to assess the risks of many diseases. The disadvantage of these test systems is that they are fragmented, and patient need to visit seven different sites, which takes more time.

The author of the article suggests to use Telegram and Viber chatbots for primary prevention activity. The @Doctor TESLA resource consists of 29 questions for men and 38 questions for women. Most questions are anamnestic. According to the identified risk factors, the chatbot provides to the user a brief comment and offers detailed recommendations on their non-pharmacological correction. If the patient shows signes of the high risk, the program automatically refers him/her to family physician and / or specialist.