Skin cancer screening: Would people rather use an AI-enabled app or see a dermatologist?

Skin cancer is a major public health issue, yet regular self-examinations and professional screenings are rarely done. Smartphone apps that use AI to assess skin lesions could help – but few people use them. In a project led by Susanne Gaube, we asked what makes people choose an AI-enabled app or a dermatologist for skin cancer screening.

What we did

We ran two online forced-choice conjoint experiments with participants from the United States (N = 1,591 and a replication with N = 308). Participants repeatedly chose between two screening offers that varied in provider type (AI-enabled app vs. dermatologist), costs, expertise, privacy policy, and the level of detail of the results. Afterwards, we assessed demographics, attitudes toward AI, and medical mistrust.

What we found

• The type of provider was the most important factor: participants chose the dermatologist more often than the app.
• Costs, expertise, and privacy policy also significantly influenced decisions.
• Preferences were rather consistent across age, gender, and ethnicity groups.
• People with greater medical mistrust were more inclined to choose the app.
• Trust, accuracy, and quality ratings were higher for the dermatologist – regardless of which provider was chosen.

What this means

AI-enabled screening apps will not replace the dermatologist in people’s minds any time soon. Yet they may reach groups who distrust the medical system – which makes affordable, transparent, and privacy-respecting apps a potential way to close gaps in care for underserved communities.

Read the paper

Gaube, S., Biebl, I., Engelmann, M. K. M., Kleine, A.-K., & Lermer, E. (2024). Comparing preferences for skin cancer screening: AI-enabled app vs dermatologist. Social Science & Medicine, 349, 116871. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116871