Tariq Khaloud, Tahir Huma, Malik Ushna, Iqbal Kanza, Shabbir Aqsa, Hassan Arooj Ul
University College of Medicine and Dentistry (UCMD), The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.
Institute of Dentistry, CMH Lahore Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan.
BMC Health Serv Res. 2025 Aug 6;25(1):1031. doi: 10.1186/s12913-025-13207-5.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can empower clinicians to make data-driven decisions, treatments and streamline administrative tasks. However, it is vital to understand their perception towards AI for seamless implementation in practice. Therefore, the study aimed to assess the attitude, receptivity and readiness of medical and dental practitioners towards the use of AI in clinical practice.
A cross-sectional study employing non-probability convenience sampling was conducted from April to August 2024. A questionnaire was distributed among practitioners working in public and private sector hospitals. The questionnaire included a validated tool, the General Attitude towards Artificial Intelligence Scale (GAAIS), comprising of total 20 items with two subscales; positive and negative attitudes. They were rated on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). The items of negative attitudes were reverse coded. Self-formulated questions to assess the readiness of medical and dental practitioners to incorporate AI in practice were also included. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS v.25. Results were reported as frequencies and percentages. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U, and Chi-squared test for continuous and categorical variables. The association between two continuous variables was assessed through Spearman's correlation.
A total of 451 responses were analyzed. The mean score for positive attitudes toward AI was 3.6 ± 0.54, whereas for negative attitudes it was estimated to be 2.8 ± 0.71. Approximately 187 (41.5%) respondents believed AI was superior to humans in routine jobs. About 190 (42.1%) respondents agreed that AI can make errors. Most respondents 334 (74.1%) were aware of AI applications in healthcare, and 329 (72.9%) reported familiarity with AI technologies. However, only 153 (33.9%) felt confident in operating AI systems. While 282 (62.5%) expressed eagerness to incorporate AI into diagnosis and treatment planning, a significant difference was observed between groups, with dental practitioners showing greater willingness (p = 0.004). Additionally, dentists exhibited higher confidence in using AI compared to medical practitioners (p = 0.047).
The findings suggest that most practitioners had a positive attitude towards AI and were receptive towards incorporating the technology as a beneficial tool in their practice. Ethical guidelines and extensive training can mitigate negative perceptions associated with the use of AI technology. It is also imperative that resources should be provided, specially to public-sector healthcare systems as they serve underprivileged communities. This will help practitioners gain familiarity with AI technology and will enable them to develop proficiency in AI use.
人工智能（AI）可以帮助临床医生做出基于数据的决策、进行治疗并简化管理任务。然而，了解他们对人工智能的看法对于在实践中无缝实施至关重要。因此，本研究旨在评估医学和牙科从业者在临床实践中对使用人工智能的态度、接受程度和准备情况。
采用非概率便利抽样的横断面研究于2024年4月至8月进行。向公立和私立医院的从业者发放了问卷。问卷包括一个经过验证的工具，即人工智能总体态度量表（GAAIS），共20个项目，分为两个子量表：积极态度和消极态度。这些项目采用5点李克特量表进行评分，从强烈不同意（1）到强烈同意（5）。消极态度的项目进行了反向编码。还包括自行编制的问题，以评估医学和牙科从业者在实践中采用人工智能的准备情况。使用IBM SPSS v.25对数据进行分析。结果以频率和百分比报告。对连续变量和分类变量分别使用曼-惠特尼U检验和卡方检验进行统计分析。通过斯皮尔曼相关性评估两个连续变量之间的关联。
共分析了451份回复。对人工智能的积极态度平均得分为3.6±0.54，而消极态度平均得分为2.8±0.71。约187名（41.5%）受访者认为人工智能在日常工作中优于人类。约190名（42.1%）受访者同意人工智能可能会出错。大多数受访者334名（74.1%）了解人工智能在医疗保健中的应用，329名（72.9%）报告熟悉人工智能技术。然而，只有153名（33.9%）对操作人工智能系统有信心。虽然282名（62.5%）表示渴望将人工智能纳入诊断和治疗计划，但不同组之间存在显著差异，牙科从业者表现出更高的意愿（p = 0.004）。此外，与医学从业者相比，牙医在使用人工智能方面表现出更高的信心（p = 0.047）。
研究结果表明，大多数从业者对人工智能持积极态度，并愿意将该技术作为有益工具纳入其实践。道德准则和广泛培训可以减轻与使用人工智能技术相关的负面看法。还必须提供资源，特别是向服务弱势群体的公共部门医疗系统提供资源。这将帮助从业者熟悉人工智能技术，并使他们能够提高人工智能使用的熟练程度。
