Serious Games: A Concise Overview on What They Are and Their Potential Applications to Healthcare

Guido Giunti*, Analía Baum, Diego Giunta, Fernando Plazzotta, Sonia Benitez, Adrián Gómez, Daniel Luna, Fernan González Bernaldo De Quiros

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedings/Edited volumeConference contributionScientificpeer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Younger generations are extensive users of digital devices; these technologies have always existed and have always been a part of their lives. Video games are a big part of their digital experience. User-centered design is an approach to designing systems informed by scientific knowledge of how people think, act, and coordinate to accomplish their goals. There is an emerging field of intervention research looking into using these techniques to produce video games that can be applied to healthcare. Games with the purpose of improving an individual's knowledge, skills, or attitudes in the 'real' world are called 'Serious Games'. Before doctors and patients can consider using Serious Games as a useful solution for a health care-related problem, it is important that they first are aware of them, have a basic understanding of what they are, and what, if any, claims on their effectiveness exist. In order to bridge that gap, we have produced this concise overview to introduce physicians to the subject at hand.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationMEDINFO 2015
Subtitle of host publicationeHealth-Enabled Health - Proceedings of the 15th World Congress on Health and Biomedical Informatics
EditorsAndrew Georgiou, Indra Neil Sarkar, Paulo Mazzoncini de Azevedo Marques
PublisherIOS Press
Pages386-390
Number of pages5
ISBN (Electronic)9781614995630
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015
Externally publishedYes
Event15th World Congress on Health and Biomedical Informatics, MEDINFO 2015 - Sao Paulo, Brazil
Duration: 19 Aug 201523 Aug 2015

Publication series

NameStudies in Health Technology and Informatics
Volume216
ISSN (Print)0926-9630
ISSN (Electronic)1879-8365

Conference

Conference15th World Congress on Health and Biomedical Informatics, MEDINFO 2015
Country/TerritoryBrazil
CitySao Paulo
Period19/08/1523/08/15

Keywords

  • behavioral health
  • games for health
  • medical education
  • mhealth
  • patient education
  • Serious games
  • user-centered design

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