Online Health Information–Seeking in the Era of Large Language Models: Cross-Sectional Web-Based Survey Study

As large language model (LLM)-based chatbots such as ChatGPT (OpenAI) grow in popularity, it is essential to understand their role in delivering online health information compared to other resources. These chatbots often generate inaccurate content, posing potential safety risks. This motivates the need to examine how users perceive and act on health information provided by LLM-based chatbots.

This study investigates the patterns, perceptions, and actions of users seeking health information online, including LLM-based chatbots. The relationships between online health information-seeking behaviors and important sociodemographic characteristics are examined as well.