Effects of Serious Games on Depression in Older Adults: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
J Med Internet Res
; 24(9): e37753, 2022 09 06.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2054768
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Depression is a severe psychological concern that negatively affects health in older adults. Serious games applied in various fields are considered appropriate interventions, especially in mental health care. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding the effects of serious games on depression in older adults.OBJECTIVE:
This study aimed to investigate the characteristics and effectiveness of serious games for depression in older adults.METHODS:
A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials were conducted. In total, 5 electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library) were searched to identify relevant studies published until July 6, 2021. A total of 2 reviewers independently conducted study selection, data extraction, and quality appraisals. The risk of bias in the included studies was assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist. For the meta-analysis, the effect size was calculated as the standardized mean difference (SMD) by using a random effects model.RESULTS:
A total of 17 studies with 1280 older adults were included in the systematic review, and 15 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Serious game interventions were classified into 3 types physical activity (PA), cognitive function, and both PA and cognitive function. The meta-analysis demonstrated that serious games reduced depression in older adults (SMD -0.54, 95% CI -0.79 to -0.29; P<.001). Serious games had a more significant effect size in community or home settings (SMD -0.61, 95% CI -0.95 to -0.26; P<.001) than in hospital settings (SMD -0.46, 95% CI -0.85 to -0.08; P=.02); however, the difference between groups was not significant. Among the types of games, games for PA (SMD -0.60, 95% CI -0.95 to -0.25; P<.001) and games for both (SMD -0.73, 95% CI -1.29 to -0.17; P=.01) had a significant effect on reducing depression in older adults. However, no significant correlations were observed between the duration or number of serious games and depression.CONCLUSIONS:
Serious games were beneficial in reducing depression in older adults. Regardless of the study setting, serious games appeared to reduce depression. Particularly, serious games including PA had a significant impact on reducing depression. Furthermore, high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to establish substantial evidence for the effectiveness of serious games on depression in older adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION PROSPERO CRD42021242573; https//tinyurl.com/26xf7ym5.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Exercise
/
Depression
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
/
Reviews
/
Systematic review/Meta Analysis
Limits:
Aged
/
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
J Med Internet Res
Journal subject:
Medical Informatics
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
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