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Chapter 15 Fantasy, facts and fun: Digital health games for impact and implementation

  • Ann DeSmet , Tom Baranowski , Debbe Thompson und Amy Shirong Lu
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Health, Media, and Communication
Ein Kapitel aus dem Buch Health, Media, and Communication

Abstract

Digital games have become a recognized and valued option in the health professionals’ toolbox when promoting healthy behaviors in a fun and engaging manner. Despite their effectiveness, the implementation of games in real life is limited by cost, lack of varied and relevant expertise, and time. This chapter aims to provide an overview of the state-of-the-art insights of how digital games influence health and health behaviors and address key issues in their development and deployment. After defining “serious digital games for health” (referred to as G4H) and related concepts, such as serious games and gamification, we discuss some of the broad domains where G4H are applied, including health promotion, disease prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation, including a selection of health topics to illustrate their use. Next, we discuss potential mechanisms and theories used to design G4H and possible mechanisms (mediators) explaining their effects on psychological (e.g., self-efficacy), behavioral (e.g., self-monitoring), physiological (e.g., heart rate) and clinical outcomes (e.g., body mass index). Since G4H derive their strength from being fun and evidence-based, this chapter presents multidisciplinary mechanisms and theories regarding engagement, communication, and behavior change. We then discuss the process of G4H design and research, including interdisciplinary collaboration, participatory development with end-users and stakeholders, cost-effective design approaches, and recommendations for mixed-method, high-quality game research. The chapter concludes with a discussion of challenges often encountered when developing G4H and future directions to advance the field of games and their implementation in practice.

Abstract

Digital games have become a recognized and valued option in the health professionals’ toolbox when promoting healthy behaviors in a fun and engaging manner. Despite their effectiveness, the implementation of games in real life is limited by cost, lack of varied and relevant expertise, and time. This chapter aims to provide an overview of the state-of-the-art insights of how digital games influence health and health behaviors and address key issues in their development and deployment. After defining “serious digital games for health” (referred to as G4H) and related concepts, such as serious games and gamification, we discuss some of the broad domains where G4H are applied, including health promotion, disease prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation, including a selection of health topics to illustrate their use. Next, we discuss potential mechanisms and theories used to design G4H and possible mechanisms (mediators) explaining their effects on psychological (e.g., self-efficacy), behavioral (e.g., self-monitoring), physiological (e.g., heart rate) and clinical outcomes (e.g., body mass index). Since G4H derive their strength from being fun and evidence-based, this chapter presents multidisciplinary mechanisms and theories regarding engagement, communication, and behavior change. We then discuss the process of G4H design and research, including interdisciplinary collaboration, participatory development with end-users and stakeholders, cost-effective design approaches, and recommendations for mixed-method, high-quality game research. The chapter concludes with a discussion of challenges often encountered when developing G4H and future directions to advance the field of games and their implementation in practice.

Kapitel in diesem Buch

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface to Handbooks of Communication Science series V
  3. Contents IX
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Section 1: Message senders
  6. Chapter 1 Creating trust in health organizations 11
  7. Chapter 2 Creating trust and understanding in doctor–patient relationships 31
  8. Chapter 3 Social media influencers for health promotion 49
  9. Chapter 4 Celebrity health narratives and the celebrity sick-scape 69
  10. Section 2: Message content
  11. Chapter 5 Fear appeals in health communication 91
  12. Chapter 6 Messaging and affect processing 109
  13. Chapter 7 Narratives in health communication 127
  14. Chapter 8 Entertainment-Education in the new media landscape: Stimulating creative engagement in online communities for social and behavioral change 147
  15. Chapter 9 The communication of uncertainty in health 169
  16. Chapter 10 Social norms in health communication 187
  17. Chapter 11 The impact of argument strength in health communication 213
  18. Chapter 12 Behavioral change techniques in influencers’ social media messages 231
  19. Section 3: Medium types
  20. Chapter 13 Instagram and health 251
  21. Chapter 14 Twitter and health communication 269
  22. Chapter 15 Fantasy, facts and fun: Digital health games for impact and implementation 287
  23. Chapter 16 Chatbots for health communication 309
  24. Section 4: Message recipients
  25. Chapter 17 Information seeking, scanning, and processing 335
  26. Chapter 18 Health literacy and information processing 355
  27. Chapter 19 Language difficulties: Healthcare provider–migrant patient communication 375
  28. Chapter 20 Cognitive biases in depression: Implications for help-seeking messaging 391
  29. Chapter 21 Creating active involvement interventions to effectively reduce adolescent health risk behaviors 411
  30. Section 5: Contemporary challenges
  31. Chapter 22 Infodemics and health information overload 433
  32. Chapter 23 Fake news and misinformation 453
  33. Chapter 24 Health communication on social media during a crisis 469
  34. Section 6: Case studies
  35. Chapter 25 Exploring communication in multi-level strategies for promoting healthy diets: A South African case study 491
  36. Chapter 26 Physical activity and citizen science: Two case studies from Flanders (Belgium) 505
  37. List of contributors 527
  38. Index 539
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110775426-016

Kapitel in diesem Buch

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface to Handbooks of Communication Science series V
  3. Contents IX
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Section 1: Message senders
  6. Chapter 1 Creating trust in health organizations 11
  7. Chapter 2 Creating trust and understanding in doctor–patient relationships 31
  8. Chapter 3 Social media influencers for health promotion 49
  9. Chapter 4 Celebrity health narratives and the celebrity sick-scape 69
  10. Section 2: Message content
  11. Chapter 5 Fear appeals in health communication 91
  12. Chapter 6 Messaging and affect processing 109
  13. Chapter 7 Narratives in health communication 127
  14. Chapter 8 Entertainment-Education in the new media landscape: Stimulating creative engagement in online communities for social and behavioral change 147
  15. Chapter 9 The communication of uncertainty in health 169
  16. Chapter 10 Social norms in health communication 187
  17. Chapter 11 The impact of argument strength in health communication 213
  18. Chapter 12 Behavioral change techniques in influencers’ social media messages 231
  19. Section 3: Medium types
  20. Chapter 13 Instagram and health 251
  21. Chapter 14 Twitter and health communication 269
  22. Chapter 15 Fantasy, facts and fun: Digital health games for impact and implementation 287
  23. Chapter 16 Chatbots for health communication 309
  24. Section 4: Message recipients
  25. Chapter 17 Information seeking, scanning, and processing 335
  26. Chapter 18 Health literacy and information processing 355
  27. Chapter 19 Language difficulties: Healthcare provider–migrant patient communication 375
  28. Chapter 20 Cognitive biases in depression: Implications for help-seeking messaging 391
  29. Chapter 21 Creating active involvement interventions to effectively reduce adolescent health risk behaviors 411
  30. Section 5: Contemporary challenges
  31. Chapter 22 Infodemics and health information overload 433
  32. Chapter 23 Fake news and misinformation 453
  33. Chapter 24 Health communication on social media during a crisis 469
  34. Section 6: Case studies
  35. Chapter 25 Exploring communication in multi-level strategies for promoting healthy diets: A South African case study 491
  36. Chapter 26 Physical activity and citizen science: Two case studies from Flanders (Belgium) 505
  37. List of contributors 527
  38. Index 539
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Heruntergeladen am 9.12.2025 von https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110775426-016/html
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