Employing Artificial Intelligence to Alleviate Shame-Induced Barriers to Medical Treatment of Older Persons

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a concept that involves machines mimicking intelligent human behaviour or using specialised software to accomplish tasks normally requiring human intelligence. Task-directed systems may even have the capability of “thinking” and “acting” rationally. Artificial intelligence allows for the integration of a large volume of data at a rate and volume that would be impossible for humans to accomplish. Using artificial intelligence in diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutics enables doctors to achieve high levels of accuracy and improve healthcare. AI and a variety of “carebots” are expected to become increasingly prevalent in the medical care of older people as costs decline and technology improves. It is sometimes ethically acceptable and even desirable to deploy AI/carebots in situations where shame prevents medical care of older persons. Ageing patients often suffer from shame because of the human-to-human aspect of healthcare, which makes it difficult to disclose important information to their doctors and prevent them from seeking treatment. Shame-inducing conditions and treatments present opportunities to introduce AI/carebots in an ethical manner, thereby removing the human element of medicine. The aim of the chapter is to provide an in-depth insight into shame-inducing interactions and how they are overcome by implementing AI/carebot technology that removes the human factor from the health care of older persons. A qualitative approach was followed by means of a systematic review of contemporary research. This approach allowed the author to evaluate documented research on the topic.