Human-Centered Reflections on Care Robots: A Comparative Study of Caregiver Perspectives

2026-08-03

AI Summary

This study investigates the acceptance of healthcare robots and associated ethical challenges across cultural contexts, focusing on attitudes of 298 caregivers from the United States, Mexico, and Chile toward four task categories: logistics, positioning assistance, vital signs monitoring, and mobility support. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research integrates quantitative analysis grounded in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and the Culture-Aware Norms (CAN) model with qualitative ethical analysis based on established literature. It presents the first systematic cross-national comparison of caregivers’ perceptions of robotic roles and ethical concerns. Findings indicate that caregivers generally favor robot deployment in physically demanding and logistical tasks over those requiring intensive interpersonal interaction. Common ethical concerns—such as reliability and human oversight—are identified, alongside culturally specific differences in ethical priorities, leading to a proposed context-sensitive, socially oriented framework for responsible robot design.

Abstract

Care robots are increasingly being introduced into healthcare settings, raising important questions about their acceptance and ethical implementation. To better understand these challenges, this study investigates caregivers' perceptions of four categories of care robots: delivering supplies, helping patients into bed, monitoring vital signs, and assisting with mobility. We conducted a mixed-methods study employing a mixed-factorial design in which 298 caregivers from the United States, Mexico, and Chile evaluated all four robot categories. Quantitative measures integrated constructs from the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, the Cognitive-Affective-Normative model, and overall acceptance ratings. Qualitative data were collected through open-ended questions and analyzed using a literature-informed ethical framework. The results indicate that participants across countries generally evaluated care robots positively, particularly for logistical and physically demanding tasks rather than those requiring intensive interpersonal interaction. The qualitative findings provide further insight into stakeholders' views of the ethical implications of care robot use. Participants emphasized potential benefits such as reduced workload, lower risk, and greater patient autonomy, while also expressing concerns about dependability, the need for human oversight, and potential job displacement. Although many ethical concerns were shared across countries, participants differed in how they interpreted and prioritized them. These findings advance a context-sensitive and socially informed understanding of responsible design and implementation of care robots.

Problem

• care robots
• caregiver perspectives
• ethical implications
• technology acceptance
• cross-cultural comparison

Innovation

• care robots
• cross-cultural comparison
• mixed-methods study
• ethical implications
• technology acceptance