HYPERTENSION-RELATED ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PERCEPTIONS IN EASTERN MOROCCO

Abstract

Objective: Hypertension (HTN) poses a significant public health challenge and stands as a leading contributor to cardiovascular diseases globally, with a particularly high burden in low- and middle-income countries. Its rising prevalence is driven by complex interactions among social determinants and lifestyle factors. The aim of our study was to explore artificial intelligence (AI) perceptions related to HTN among the urban population of Eastern Morocco. Design and method: We conducted a multicentre cross-sectional study among individuals attending ten primary healthcare centres over a period of six months using a face-to-face questionnaire that covered social determinants, and assessed participants’ awareness of AI, familiarity with its medical applications, willingness to share health data with AI, views on AI’s potential to personalise healthcare, preferred methods for receiving HTN-related information, and interest in receiving AI-based dietary or lifestyle recommendations to help manage their HTN. Results: This study included 181 individuals with a mean age of 44.5 years ± 13.7 years and a predominance of women (90.1%). Most participants were married (71.1%), unemployed (86.1%), and had varied educational levels, with 27.2% being illiterate. Moderate socioeconomic status accounted for 62.6% of participants. HTN frequency was 28.7%, with non-hypertensive individuals showing higher AI awareness (68.2%; p=0.012). AI awareness was strongly associated with familiarity (p<0.001) and education, highest among university graduates (60.0%; p<0.001). Those aware of AI preferred health information via combined human-AI interfaces (80.8%) or AI-only interfaces (62.5%), while those unaware favoured human healthcare professionals (58.7%). This indicates that AI awareness significantly influences preferences for integrating AI technologies into healthcare information dissemination (p=0.004). Conclusions: These findings suggest that health status, along with socio-educational determinants, may play a critical role in shaping individuals’ engagement with emerging technologies in HTN, highlighting the need for targeted strategies to bridge gaps in AI awareness and promote equitable access to AI-driven health information.

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