Developing a Knowledge-Based Online Recommendation System to Guide STD Patients Through Their Journey

Developing A Knowledge-Based Online Recommendation System To Guide Sexually Transmitted Disease Patients Through Their Journeys

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) place a significant burden on public health. One in five adults in the United States currently have or have experienced such a condition, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control (as cited in Fluck, 2021). The economic impact is substantial, with the U.S. healthcare system investing over $16 billion in U.S. dollars annually in direct medical costs to prevent and manage STD outbreaks (Jemmott et al., 2023). Despite the alarming prevalence of STDs, a noteworthy issue is the reluctance of a considerable number of at-risk individuals to undergo regular testing and screening. Instead, such individuals often turn to the internet as their primary source of health-related information. For example, online forums and social networks have become popular platforms for individuals seeking information and emotional support while maintaining anonymity (Brower, 2021; Zhang & Watts, 2008). These platforms offer a refuge where individuals can freely access information without the fear of judgment regarding their conditions.

However, the abundance and fragmentation of information on the internet can overwhelm users and impede their ability to make informed decisions about their health. Furthermore, even within some existing online health-support platforms, users are often left to manually search for emotional and informational resources, such as articles, posts, or peer support comments, without the aid of a tailored recommendation system (Hanley et al., 2019). This situation has resulted in several challenges, including the arduous task of locating pertinent content and a resultant increase in user frustration.

In response to these challenges, online health recommendation systems (OHRSs) have emerged as invaluable tools. OHRSs play a crucial role in delivering personalized healthcare information, aided by the advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technology. OHRSs operate as automated systems, utilizing valid input parameters and essential health data collected through various devices (Sharma et al., 2023). While OHRSs have been successfully implemented in diverse healthcare contexts, including personalized healthcare recommendations (Holzinger et al., 2016; Pincay et al., 2019), physical activity recommendations (Wiesner & Pfeifer, 2014), and treatment options (Sahoo et al., 2019), they face limitations in sensitive healthcare contexts. A noticeable gap exists in the exploration of OHRSs tailored explicitly for individuals grappling with STDs.

Several challenges underscore the complexity of crafting an OHRS for this specific context, including the scarcity of pertinent demographic data and the sensitive nature of STDs. Additionally, the proliferation of misinformation in online forums intensifies the need for appropriate OHRSs (Cunningham et al., 2009). Moreover, individuals dealing with STDs often live with negative emotions and stigma surrounding their condition, further complicating the development of an effective OHRS (Brower, 2021).

This research aims to fill this void by exploring the development of an OHRS specifically designed to guide STD patients by addressing both their informational and emotional needs. While recent studies have explored the general informational needs of STD patients, covering clinical, logistical, and psychosocial aspects (Mulgund et al., 2021), it is equally crucial to understand the various emotions that patients experience at different stages of their disease journeys. Recognizing the progression of emotions that patients undergo while navigating their journeys with a stigmatized disorder is of paramount importance in delivering adequate emotional support (Lupton et al., 1995; Lamptey, 2002; Cunningham et al., 2009, Mulgund et al., 2021). The research question formulated to guide the current research is therefore: How can we develop an artifact that recommends relevant medical and emotional support content to STD patients based on the stage of the patient’s disease journey?