Games for Health Journal最新文献

Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR)-based interventions for functional rehabilitation of the upper limb in breast cancer patients through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: The PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, CINAHL, Scopus, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP databases were systematically searched for relevant literature published from the establishment of the database to June 2023. Differences in the effectiveness of VR-based interventions and other intervention therapies were compared using random effects model meta-analysis and standard deviation (SMD). Results: Seven eligible articles were identified and included in the meta-analysis. The combined analysis found that VR-based interventions had a positive impact on patients' upper limb mobility in terms of flexion (SMD = 1.33, 95% confidence interval; CI [0.48-2.19], P = 0.002), abduction (SMD = 1.22, 95% CI [0.58-1.86], P = 0.0002), and external rotation (SMD = 0.94, 95% CI [0.48-1.40], P < 0.0001). In addition, VR-based interventions could significantly improve the postoperative pain of patients with breast cancer. However, in grip strength (SMD = 0.43, 95% CI [-3.05 to 3.92], P = 0.81), shoulder muscle strength in flexion strength (SMD = 0.05, 95% CI [-2.07 to 2.18], P = 0.96), abduction strength (SMD = -0.10, 95% CI [-1.32 to 1.12], P = 0.88), external rotation strength (SMD = 0.46, 95% CI [-1.96 to 2.88], P = 0.71), and lymphedema, VR was as effective as other intervention treatments. A subgroup analysis showed that patients younger than 55 years had more benefit with VR-based rehabilitation than with other interventions and showed improvements with the intervention within 2 weeks. The intervention effect of using auxiliary equipment such as robotic arms is better than VR exercise based solely on games. Conclusion: The results of meta-analysis show that the intervention measures based on VR have positive effects on the improvement of upper limb mobility and pain relief in breast cancer patients. However, considering the low quality of evidence and small sample size, more clinical studies should be conducted to improve the credibility of the results.

Background: Promoting COVID-19 prevention is key to pandemic control and innovative interventions can help communicate reliable science to the public. Under the Hong Kong Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project, we developed and evaluated a pilot intervention for promoting COVID-19 prevention through a web-based family game, guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior and a strength-based approach. Methods: The "SMART Epidemic prevention" pilot theme was launched to the public on September 21, 2020 for 4 weeks. The game had two parts: (i) strength recognition and (ii) quiz questions on knowledge and behaviors about COVID-19 prevention. Simple baseline, in-game, and postgame evaluation assessed players' perceived knowledge, behaviors, family well-being, game satisfaction, and perceived benefits. Results: Of 86 registered families, 55 played actively, including 212 players (51% female, 35% aged below 18) who self-identified as children (44%), parents (39%), and grandparents (11%). In weeks 1 and 4, an average of 7 and 18 game rounds were played per family, and 86.6% and 75.9% of rounds had perfect (2) behavior matches. Postgame evaluation with 51 families showed improvements in epidemic prevention knowledge and behaviors, family communication, family happiness (all P < 0.001), and family relationship (P = 0.002) with small effect sizes (0.15-0.29). Overall game satisfaction was rated 4.49 (scale of 1-5). Ninety-four percent of families shared knowledge from the game with others. Conclusions: Our pilot web-based family game first showed preliminary evidence on enhancing COVID-19 prevention knowledge and behaviors, and family well-being, with participants recognizing family strengths, reporting high satisfaction and various perceived benefits, and showing sustained gameplay. Trial Registration: The research protocol was registered at the National Institutes of Health (Identifier No. NCT04550065) on September 16, 2020.

Nintendo Wii Fit is an accessible, affordable, and productive inclusion into rehabilitation programs for children with cerebral palsy (CP) as a physical activity intervention; however, to our knowledge, there are no comparative studies 8 investigating the effects on the functional mobility and balance of children with CP compared to typically growing (TG) children. We evaluated the effects of Nintendo Wii Fit video exercises on static and dynamic balance, functional capacity, and walking endurance in children with CP compared to their TG peers. Children with CP and their TG peers were trained with Nintendo Wii Fit Balance Board games and conventional exercises (40 minutes each) for 16 weeks, twice a week. Their static and dynamic balance, functional capacity, and walking endurance were evaluated at the beginning and end of the study. The improvement achieved within the groups in all parameters, as well as between the groups, was significant, except for the dynamic balance and walking endurance. Standing Nintendo Wii Fit exercises combined with conventional exercises can be included as axial exercises in the physiotherapy program for children with CP as an enjoyable physical activity. TG children may also benefit, increasing their functional mobility and walking endurance in a fun way.

Gamified health interventions can offer child-centered and tailored health-promoting strategies. Evidence suggests that its various mechanics foster engagement that can be utilized to promote health and well-being and influence health behavior. At present, psychosocial challenges among school-aged children are becoming a global predicament. We conducted a scoping review to explore the range and nature of evidence on gamified interventions for promoting the psychosocial well-being of school-aged children from the general population. We followed the Arksey and O'Malley framework and extracted sources of evidence from five databases. Our review findings were summarized with basic numerical analysis and provided with narrative accounts based on a gamification taxonomy and the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR). We identified 12 gamified interventions and included 23 records that reported their development and evaluation. Theories on emotions, behaviors, social skills, and mental health were commonly applied frameworks. Narrative was found as the most commonly used gamification mechanic (11/12, 91.7%), followed by avatar and tasks (10/12, 83.3%), feedback system and level progression (9/12, 75%), points (7/12, 58.3%), badges (5/12, 41.7%), progress bar (4/12, 33.3%), and virtual goods, reminders, and time pressure (2/12, 16.7%). The included sources of evidence reported significant improvements in some of the measured psychosocial outcomes; however, studies on this domain for this particular target group are still considerably limited. Further research is needed to determine how the applied theories and gamification mechanics brought about the change in psychosocial outcomes, bridging the gap in current evidence.

Objective: This research evaluates from a usability point of view the combination of a developed fully immersive virtual reality (VR) solution with the SWalker robotic device. It aims to contribute to research in the exploration of immersive experiences overground with a functional gait recovery device. Materials and Methods: We evaluated the system in a pilot study with 20 healthy participants aged 85.1 (SD: 6.29). Participants used the SWalker-VR platform while testing one VR application focused on walking and the other on balance practice. Afterward, the participants answered three usability questionnaires. Results: The platform was validated in terms of safety using the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire, obtaining less than 20 points for all subscales: nausea (4.29 ± 14.47), oculomotor (0.38 ± 14.18), and disorientation (1.39 ± 14.52). For usability evaluation, the System Usability Scale provided an overall score of 70.63 ± 11.64, and the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ) rated 1.61 ± 0.54. The usability scores reported by both questionnaires were moderate and good, respectively. These results were similar in overall scores for both groups: participants with low cognitive level and participants with high cognitive level. Finally, the possible causes for the "no answered" responses on the PSSUQ were discussed. Conclusion: It is concluded that the SWalker-VR platform is reported to have adequate usability and high security by older adults. The potential interest of studying the effects of the long-term use of this platform by older adults with gait impairment is expressed. Clinical Trials reference: NCT06025981.

Objective: Wordbot, a chatbot designed for gamified education, transforms the process of memorizing complex medical terminology into an engaging and enjoyable activity for medical students. Taking inspiration from the "guessing words" game, Wordbot aims to improve medical students' learning outcomes by making the vocabulary memorization process more memorable. Materials and Methods: Wordbot, which can be implemented on the LINE platform, was created for this research, specifically to improve medical terminology learning. Wordbot incorporated mobile devices and personal computer-compatible flashcard games with features such as user ranking and personalization to enhance motivation and optimize learning outcomes. In the experimental research setting, half of a total of 48 nursing students were randomly assigned to use Wordbot for 4 months, and the other half were assigned to a control group relying on self-study without the help of Wordbot. Both groups received pretest and post-test to assess their respective learning of medical terminology. In this study, a statistical t-test was used to analyze the results between the two groups. In addition, user usability testing was conducted to evaluate the usability of Wordbot and gather feedback on user experience. Results: The results of this study have demonstrated that Wordbot is effective in facilitating students learning of medical terminology. Students experienced a significant improvement in their knowledge of medical terminology. An average user usability test score of 83.25 indicated that users' satisfaction with Wordbot is high. Conclusion: Incorporating gamification and personalization elements in Wordbot can significantly improve the overall enjoyment of the learning process. By participating in diverse interactive activities, users can effectively enhance their proficiency in spelling, recognition, and speaking. Wordbot utilizes sophisticated algorithms to generate customized questions based on identified mistakes, which facilitate error identification and correction. The robust findings of this study overwhelmingly support Wordbot's role as a convenient and easily accessible tool for learning medical terminology. The study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Institutional Review Board of Chang Gung Medical Foundation (Protocol code: 202201586B0, date of approval: 8 November 2022). We obtained informed consent from all of our study participants regarding their willingness to participate in this study.

Background: Genomics is an integral part of medical science; however, European citizens' literacy on basic genetic concepts is still poor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Serious Games (SGs) in increasing genetic literacy in laypeople and to assess the impact of SGs on participants' perceived self-efficacy (SE) in managing genetic risk implications. Materials and Methods: Two minigames and an adventure game were created, together with leaflets reporting the same information as the SGs. Sixty participants enrolled at baseline and completed a brief sociodemographic questionnaire and an ad hoc questionnaire assessing their genetic knowledge. They were assigned to the SGs group (30 subjects) or to the Leaflets group (30 subjects) by matching age and sex. Both groups had about 40 minutes to play the SGs or to read the leaflets. In the postlearning session, participants completed the same genetic knowledge questionnaires administered at baseline and five items from the Self-Efficacy Scale, whereas the SGs group also filled in the In-Game Experience Questionnaire. Results and Conclusion: Results showed that learning genetic concepts through SGs was comparable to learning through leaflets. Playing SGs was also associated with poor feelings of frustration or annoyance, good engagement in the game challenges and contents, and positive feelings, particularly in subjects under 30 years. Participants perceiving SE increased significantly in both Leaflets and SGs groups, but the effect was higher for SGs players. SGs have the potential to increase genetic literacy in the public by making the learning process more engaging, pleasant and by enhancing SE.

Purpose: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) may induce unfavorable changes in metabolic outcomes, insulin sensitivity, insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), and in serum levels of adipocyte-derived hormones. In this preplanned randomized ancillary study, we aimed to investigate the ability of exercise to counteract alterations in triglyceride, cholesterol, waist circumference, and insulin caused by ADT in men with locally advanced and metastatic prostate cancer (PCa). Materials and Methods: Forty-six PCa patients undergoing treatment were randomized to 12 weeks of 180 minutes of weekly unsupervised home-based exergaming or usual care. Blood glucose, lipids, cholesterol, adiponectin, leptin, insulin sensitivity, and the insulin growth factor axis were measured at baseline, and after 12 and 24 weeks. Biomarkers were analyzed using a linear mixed-effect model of the difference between the groups from baseline to week 24. In addition, blood pressure, body mass index, body weight, and waist circumference were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks/end of intervention and analyzed using adjusted linear regression analysis. Results: After 24 weeks, a significant difference was seen between the intervention and usual care groups in plasma triglyceride (diff: 0.5 mmol/L, P = 0.02) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL; diff: 0.2 mmol/L, P = 0.01) favoring the intervention group, whereas IGF-binding protein-3 (diff: 148 μg/L, P = 0.01) favored the usual care group. The remaining outcomes were unaffected. Conclusion: Improvement in HDL cholesterol could be used as a primary biomarker in future randomized controlled trials investigating the cardiovascular protecting properties of exergaming.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of a virtual reality (VR)-mediated gamified rehabilitation program added to a home exercise program on pain, functionality, and quality of life in shoulder impingement syndrome. Methods: Forty-eight participants with shoulder impingement syndrome were included in this prospective, randomized, single-blind study between January and July 2022. The participants were randomized into two groups: the VR group (n = 24) and the control group (n = 24). All participants were given a home exercise program for 3 weeks, with five sessions per week. The participants in the VR group received 15 sessions (45 minutes each session) of a gamified shoulder exercise program with an immersive VR headset, while those in the control group received 15 sessions (45 minutes each session) of supervised therapeutic exercises. The participants were evaluated and compared before and after treatment using the 36-item Short Form Survey (SF-36), range-of-motion (ROM) measurements, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and the Shoulder Pain and Disability Scale (SPADI). Results: At the baseline assessment, the two groups were homogenous regarding demographic and clinical parameters. The post-treatment shoulder extension and adduction ROM was significantly greater in the VR group and the post-treatment pain subscales for SPADI and SF-36 were significantly lower in the VR group. Conclusion: In individuals with shoulder impingement syndrome, a VR-mediated gamified exercise program added to a home exercise program increased shoulder ROM and reduced pain scores. Further clinical studies are needed to prove the long-term efficacy of the addition of VR-mediated gamified exercises to the treatment of this condition in clinical settings.

Background: College students are particularly susceptible to developing mental health problems. Gamification can be a powerful teaching strategy to favor motivation and behavioral changes for the improvement of psychological well-being. Purpose: To analyze the effect of a 14-week gamification-based physical education teaching program on psychological well-being of college students. Materials and Methods: A total of 112 college students (21.22 ± 2.55 years) were recruited and assigned to a gamification-based group or a control group. The intervention group participated in a gamification-based program under the framework of "STAR WARS" science fiction sage. Participants from this group used a mobile app with a countdown timer and the way for them to gain lifetime was by doing physical activity (PA) and formative challenges. The control group did not experience the gamification approach itself as their classes were based on traditional methodology. They were asked to maintain their usual lifestyle and were not required to do PA. Emotional intelligence, personal initiative, entrepreneurial attitude, resilience, and self-efficacy were self-reported. Results: The gamification-based group showed a significantly higher improvement of emotional intelligence (P ≤ 0.006), personal initiative (P ≤ 0.033), entrepreneurial attitude (P < 0.001), resilience (P = 0.002), and self-efficacy (P < 0.001), compared with the control group. Overall effect sizes were of medium magnitude for emotional intelligence and personal initiative, large magnitude for entrepreneurial attitude, and small magnitude for resilience and self-efficacy. Conclusion: Gamification and the use of mobile apps may become powerful teaching strategies to motivate college students toward healthier lifestyle behaviors that have psychological well-being benefits.