{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T20:43:20Z","timestamp":1791233000458,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":27,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,13]],"date-time":"2026-01-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768262400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,2]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Transgender women (TGW) and men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and mental health challenges. Mental well-being influences uptake and adherence to HIV prevention and treatment. However, gaps in mental health service delivery present challenges for scalability in public health systems. Artificial intelligence (AI)-driven chatbots may offer a novel, scalable solution to expand access to mental health support.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This qualitative study was conducted at the Aurum POP INN clinic in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. A multi-agent AI chatbot, designed to simulate supportive counselling based on the Inuka model, was piloted with TGW and MSM. Ten participants engaged in in-depth interviews after interacting with the chatbot. An additional 34 participants experienced both chatbot and in-person counselling through a randomised crossover design and then participated in four focus group discussions. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and the Acceptability of Healthcare Interventions Framework guided the analysis.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The chatbot was generally acceptable, with participants valuing its privacy, convenience and human-like interaction. Acceptability was enhanced by associations with modernity and anonymity. Trust, usability and accessibility improved engagement. Key barriers included slow response times, limited rapport and repetitive messaging.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>AI chatbots offer a promising, scalable approach to supporting mental health among key populations in HIV care.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1093\/trstmh\/traf143","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,19]],"date-time":"2025-12-19T13:04:01Z","timestamp":1766149441000},"page":"160-174","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["A qualitative study assessing the acceptability of a multi-agent AI Chatbot for providing HIV and mental health support among men who have sex with men and transgender women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"120","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8503-4127","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hilton","family":"Humphries","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Community-Based Research, Human Science Research Council , Sweetwaters 3201 ,","place":["South Africa"]},{"name":"Division of Social and Behavioural Sciences, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town , Cape Town 7701 ,","place":["South Africa"]},{"name":"University of KwaZulu-Natal Department of Psychology, , Pietermaritzburg 3201 ,","place":["South Africa"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lindani","family":"Msimango","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Community-Based Research, Human Science Research Council , Sweetwaters 3201 ,","place":["South 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