AI-based personalized health and self-care support for caregivers of children
Official title: AI-Based Personalized Health and Self-Care: Investigating A Mobile Virtual Assistant to Address Health-Related Social Needs
Run by Nationwide Children's Hospital · NCT07168382 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This pilot will test whether the DAPHNE chatbot helps caregivers of children with unmet social needs connect to community resources, stay engaged, and fit into primary care workflows over six months.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 70 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Nationwide Children's Hospital Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Columbus, Ohio) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | April 24, 2026 |
| Main results expected | August 2028 |
| Study ends | August 2028 |
| Registry record updated | May 11, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07168382 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal participants are English-speaking caregivers aged 18 or older of children seen in the NCH primary care network who self-identify at least one unmet social need and have an internet-connected device.
✕Probably not a fit
Non-English speakers, caregivers without internet access, people outside the NCH primary care network, or those whose needs require intensive social work or in-person services may not benefit from this chatbot.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This randomized pilot assigns caregivers of pediatric patients within the Nationwide Children's Hospital primary care network to either the DAPHNE chatbot intervention or usual care. Participants use the chatbot over six months while researchers collect caregiver-reported measures of usability, acceptability, and burden, plus brief qualitative feedback. The study also tracks how well the chatbot's outputs integrate into primary care provider workflows and whether providers find it usable. Outcomes will be compared between arms to see if the chatbot improves engagement with social care tools and fits into clinical workflows.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the chatbot could help caregivers more easily find and use community resources, reduce caregiver burden, and streamline social needs support within primary care.
How similar studies have gone: Prior pilot and implementation studies of health chatbots and digital social needs screening show promise for engagement and referrals, but randomized evidence for caregiver-focused, clinic-integrated chatbots remains limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria (Caregivers): * Must be a caregiver of a child seen within the NCH primary care network who self-identifies with at least one unmet social need * Must be 18 years of age or older * Must be English-speaking * Must have a device that connects to the internet Inclusion Criteria (Primary Care Providers and Support Team Members): * Must be 18 years or older * Must be employed at Nationwide Children's Hospital Exclusion Criteria: \- Due to the intervention only being translated into English, non-English Speakers will be excluded from this study.
Where it's running
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Nationwide Children's Hospital
Columbus, Ohio, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Emre Sezgin, PhD — Nationwide Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Emre Sezgin, PhD
- Email: Emre.Sezgin@nationwidechildrens.org
- Phone: (614) 722-3179
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.