Inclusion of game elements in health education has proved to be effective in helping student training. Commonly termed as “serious games” these gamified systems can be an alternative to empower and motivate students during the learning process. The literature contains serious games for professional training in many health-related areas, including several motivating and playful gamification elements, and a variety of evaluation techniques used. Some review studies have compiled articles that present serious games for health-related areas analyzing aspects such as development methodologies and assessment techniques. However, the playful aspects that contribute to the health education process have not yet been compiled. This article focuses on a systematic review that analyzes the state of the art regarding serious games for health-related education, and evaluates the following: 1) game elements; 2) platforms, evaluation methods; and 3) requirements analysis methods. The findings indicate that “Tasks,” “Score,” and “Level Progression” were the most used gamification elements. Physiotherapy, psychology, and physical education were the areas most covered by the included articles. Pre and posttest questionnaires were identified as the main methods used to evaluate the serious games. The article contributes with an overview of the serious games design process, abstracted from the performed review and depicted in a diagram showing the phases commonly found in our study. The article also proposes a categorization for the most used game elements and evaluation methods. 

Serious Game Design in Health Education: A Systematic Review

Inclusion of game elements in health education has proved to be effective in helping student training. Commonly termed as “serious games” these gamified systems can be an alternative to empower and motivate students during the learning process. The literature contains serious games for professional training in many health-related areas, including several motivating and playful gamification elements, and a variety of evaluation techniques used. Some review studies have compiled articles that present serious games for health-related areas analyzing aspects such as development methodologies and assessment techniques. However, the playful aspects that contribute to the health education process have not yet been compiled. This article focuses on a systematic review that analyzes the state of the art regarding serious games for health-related education, and evaluates the following: 1) game elements; 2) platforms, evaluation methods; and 3) requirements analysis methods. The findings indicate that “Tasks,” “Score,” and “Level Progression” were the most used gamification elements. Physiotherapy, psychology, and physical education were the areas most covered by the included articles. Pre and posttest questionnaires were identified as the main methods used to evaluate the serious games. The article contributes with an overview of the serious games design process, abstracted from the performed review and depicted in a diagram showing the phases commonly found in our study. The article also proposes a categorization for the most used game elements and evaluation methods.

Diabetes is a chronic degenerative disease with increasing number of patients due to unhealthy lifestyles and the lack of information regarding the disease and its correct treatment. In this research work, we propose the design and development of an application to educate patients with diabetes, about their disease, using interactive gamified activities. This paper presents the results obtained from a heuristic evaluation of usability to the application, done by experts, where favorable results were presented in some heuristics such as "Recognition rather than recall". The app presented problems in the heuristic "Help and documentation" that should be improved to ensure a good usability and therefore a friendly experience for users.

Heuristic Evaluation of a Gamified Application for Education in Patients with Diabetes

ABSTRACT Physical activity interventions are proven to mitigate job stress and improve work performance. However, the recommended threshold of physical activity is rarely considered when evaluating the effect of physical activity. This study adopted case study approach to investigate the moderating effect of the threshold of physical activity on the relationship between emotional exhaustion and work performance, based on the conservation of resources theory. The research site was an Asian university wherein the university developed a mHealth application as a physical activity intervention to promote Exercise-is-Medicine® On Campus. A longitudinal survey was conducted to collect quantitative data for analysis, and interviews were conducted for further insights. The results supported the hypothesis that the threshold of physical activity was an effective moderator in the exhaustion-performance relationship. This study enriches the burnout literature and substantiates literature on technology-enabled solutions for improving work performance by engaging users to do regular and sufficient physical activity.

mHealth application as physical activity intervention: a case study on physical activity, emotional exhaustion, and work performance

Healthy is an important factor in human life, so the importance of health aspects that value exceeds the wealth itself, one of the indicators of happiness is also seen on the health of the person. However, the high density of the bustle and activity of the average person these days, causing health to be neglected factors, many people are spending money that does little to maintain their health, such as conducting a routine medical checkup to the hospital. Therefore, most people require applications and tools that can monitor health conditions in real time. Smart Health System as an Open Platform (SHESOP) is a health care system that is focused on monitoring the health of the user in everyday life using Steppy mobile apps and smart chair. Steppy mobile apps SHESOP user to record the number of steps and there is gamification in it as motivation for users to be more concerned about health, smart chair while recording the number of heartbeats and body weight SHESOP service users. Results of the data analysis steps per day and the completion of the mission of gamification is constructed can be used to provide suggestions to a user and the motivation to do physical activity, such as walking with a number of measures that have been recommended appropriate studies were performed.

Yeni Masitoh

Papers

Gamification on Steppy application in the development of the electronic health record as health service users of SHESOP