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Mini-Review Article | DOI: https://doi.org/10.31579/2640-1053/203
Professor and Head, Pediatric Nursing Department, College of Nursing, CMC Vellore.
*Corresponding Author: Mary Anbarasi Johnson. Professor and Head, Pediatric Nursing Department, College of Nursing, CMC Vellore.
Citation: Mary A. Johnson, (2024), Gamification and its impact on hospitalized children. J. Cancer Research and Cellular Therapeutics. 8(5); DOI:10.31579/2640-1053/203
Copyright: © 2024, Mary Anbarasi Johnson. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Received: 19 July 2024 | Accepted: 26 July 2024 | Published: 02 August 2024
Keywords: gamification; hospitalized children; emotion; health care
This paper explores the impact of gamification on hospitalized children, highlighting its significant benefits in enhancing engagement, pain management, education, emotional support, and social interaction. Gamification integrates game design elements into healthcare settings, making treatments more appealing and less intimidating for young patients. Examples include pain management apps, rehabilitation games, educational tools, and VR-based distractions during medical procedures. Research indicates that gamification can reduce pain and anxiety, improve adherence to treatment protocols, and enhance overall hospital experiences. Despite its promise, challenges such as individual preferences, accessibility, and balancing screen time must be addressed. The findings suggest that gamified interventions can substantially improve the physical and emotional well-being of pediatric patients, underscoring the need for thoughtful implementation and continuous research to maximize their benefits.
Hospitalization can be a daunting experience for children, often accompanied by pain, anxiety, and a sense of isolation. Traditional approaches to pediatric care sometimes struggle to address these emotional and psychological challenges effectively. In recent years, the concept of gamification—the application of game design elements in non-game contexts—has gained traction as a potential solution to enhance patient engagement and well-being. By transforming routine healthcare interactions into enjoyable and interactive experiences, gamification offers a novel way to improve the quality of care for hospitalized children.
Research Findings
Studies have shown that gamification can lead to:
Gamification in healthcare encompasses a wide range of applications, from pain management and rehabilitation to education and emotional support. For instance, pain management apps can help children track their symptoms in a game-like format, turning a mundane task into an engaging activity. Similarly, rehabilitation games make physical therapy exercises fun, encouraging better participation and outcomes. Educational tools leverage game mechanics to teach children about their health conditions and self-care practices, while virtual reality (VR) games provide immersive distractions during medical procedures, reducing stress and discomfort.
The positive impacts of gamification on hospitalized children are supported by research, which shows that these interventions can lead to reduced pain and anxiety, improved adherence to treatment protocols, and enhanced overall hospital experiences. However, the implementation of gamified tools also presents challenges, such as ensuring accessibility for all children and balancing screen time with other activities.
This paper delves into the benefits and challenges of gamification in pediatric care, providing an overview of its applications and examining the evidence supporting its efficacy. By exploring the potential of gamification to transform the hospital experience for children, this study aims to highlight the importance of innovative approaches in improving pediatric healthcare outcomes. Gamification in healthcare involves using game design elements in non-game contexts to improve patient outcomes and engagement. For hospitalized children, gamification can have significant positive impacts:
Benefits of Gamification for Hospitalized Children
Examples of Gamification in Pediatric Care
Challenges and Considerations
Research Findings
Studies have shown that gamification can lead to:
Studies on Gamification in Pediatric Healthcare
Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of gamification in improving various aspects of pediatric healthcare. These studies highlight the diverse applications and positive outcomes associated with gamified interventions for hospitalized children.
Pain Management
Rehabilitation
Education
Distraction During Procedures
General Hospital Experience
The studies reviewed consistently indicate that gamification can lead to significant improvements in various dimensions of pediatric healthcare. From pain management and rehabilitation to education and emotional support, gamified interventions offer a promising approach to making hospital experiences more engaging and less stressful for children. As the field continues to evolve, further research is needed to optimize these interventions and ensure their accessibility and effectiveness for all pediatric patients.
Conflict of Interests: None