Usability and Acceptability of the HOPES+ AI Empathy Agent Among Ethnic-Minority Women Living With HIV in Yunnan: A Single-Session Pilot Mixed-Methods Evaluation (Preprint)
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND The global HIV/AIDS epidemic persists, and women living with HIV/AIDS (WLWHA) experience substantial disease burden, social stigma, and discrimination, creating an urgent need for mental health support. OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the acceptability, usability, and real-world experience of the HOPES+ AI Empathy Agent among WLWHA, identified core intervention needs, and provided empirical evidence for AI empathy tool development in HIV mental health. METHODS A parallel convergent mixed-methods pilot study enrolled 41 WLWHA.. Quantitative assessments were conducted using records of task completion times and the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ); qualitative analysis was performed through semi-structured interviews and Colaizzi content analysis; and a comprehensive evaluation was conducted based on the ISO 9241-11 usability standards across three dimensions: effectiveness, efficiency, and subjective satisfaction. RESULTS Participants reported high acceptability and usability of the HOPES+ AI Empathy Agent, noting it effectively reduced perceived stigma. The primary barriers to use included cost concerns, privacy and data security worries, limited digital literacy, and a current lack of need for additional mental health support. Participants explicitly expressed a need for mental health services that are easily accessible, highly private, convenient, and available in minority languages. CONCLUSIONS WLWHA have urgent mental health needs related to perceived stigma. The HOPES+ AI Empathy Agent is an acceptable, usable low‑barrier tool for stigma intervention, supporting broader implementation and optimization.
Source: JMIR mhealth and uhealth
DOI: 10.2196/101669
Language: English
Subfield: Applied Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,850
OpenAlex ID: W7204265040