Multiplatform web app (My Way Up) plus motivational interviewing for improving treatment retention in patients with onset of alcohol-related liver disease and alcohol use disorder - an example of participatory research.

Background: With the aim of improving treatment retention in patients with the onset of alcohol-related liver disease (ArLD), we designed a blended intervention (brief motivational intervention + 'serious game' (SG)). We present the participatory design methodology and outcomes and the usability assessment of the intervention. Methods: (1) The design of the SG was based on the outcomes of two 3-h co-creation sessions with 37 participants (healthcare and technology professionals, patients, and patients' relatives). The brief face-to-face motivational intervention was based on the 5 As Model and adapted to the ArLD population. (2) Usability pilot study: 20 participants (10 ArLD patients + 10 healthcare professionals) received the intervention. System Usability Scale (SUS) and Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ) were applied to assess the SG usability and patients' satisfaction with it. Weekly semi-structured interviews on the phone were conducted to identify the preferred elements in the SG and those aspects that should be improved. Results: (1) Design: an SG in the form of a gamified web app, consisting of a daily activity for six weeks and adapted brief motivational interviewing. (2) Usability pilot study: usability results were excellent for both patients and healthcare professionals (SUS median score = 85). The general usability, the quality of the information provided by the SG and the quality of the interface were very positively rated in the PSSUQ (overall median score = 2, IQR = 1-2). The best-rated aspects were the provision of feedback, the use of metaphors and the application of audiovisual material. Changes in the design, response mechanics and content were applied after the study. Conclusions: The usability and acceptability of an intervention for increasing retention to treatment in patients with recent onset of ArLD and AUD were excellent for patients and healthcare professionals. A randomized-controlled trial is required to test the efficacy of this approach.

The effectiveness of an Instagram-based educational game in a Bachelor of Nursing course: An experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Gamification is a novel educational method that adopts elements of games to motivate students using participatory learning. The objective of this study was to measure the effect of participation in an Instagram-based educational game on learning outcomes. METHOD: Experimental design with 291 university students in a first-year course of the Bachelor of Nursing during the 2020-21 academic year. RESULTS: After ruling out pretest sensitization, we identified a positive effect of participation in the educational game. An average improvement of 0.62 points was observed in the final grade of the students belonging to the experimental groups. CONCLUSION: Nursing undergraduate students participating an Instagram-based educational game had better learning outcomes than their counterparts who did not participate in the game.

Gamification on Instagram: Nursing students' degree of satisfaction with and perception of learning in an educational game.

BACKGROUND: Gamification has been shown to lead to greater motivation and participation among students. Currently, many teachers use social networks to share supplementary course materials and student work, but they have not incorporated gamified educational activities into social networking sites. OBJECTIVE: To determine nursing students' satisfaction with an Instagram-based educational game and their perceptions of its effects on their learning. DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive, observational study. PARTICIPANTS: First-year nursing students in the subject "Dietetics and Nutrition". RESULTS: Of the total sample, 71.7 % agreed that gamification had helped them assimilate the content. Between 66 % and 70 % agreed that the experience had motivated them to keep up with the subject and learn more about the topic, that it had helped them to better understand certain concepts of the subject, that they would recommend the experience to other students, and that they enjoyed the experience of playing a game while learning. 71.7 % of them were in favour of increased use of gamification in other subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The use of an Instagram-based educational game as a complement to in-class teaching was useful, enjoyable, and motivating for the acquisition of new knowledge.

Game design and e-health: serious games put to the test.

Memorable experiences deliver intense usable moments with the support of different platforms and social networks. Higher degrees of motivation ensure efficiency and performance. Serious games deliver powerful and truthful experiences by providing the user with goals, challenges, problem-solving, and rules, besides a clear internal value and an interactive experience. Our software and hardware-based tools should have the power to teach and change us, while making us better problem-solvers and professionals.

Yummy tricks: a serious game for learning healthy eating habits.

Cure4Kids organized the first Global eHealth Challenge in 2010. This contest encouraged the creation of innovative multimedia applications to help educate children or parents about cancer and healthy living. Here, we describe one of the applications submitted to this contest. The presented application was designed to be a serious game containing several mini-games intended to teach healthy eating habits. Each mini-game involves learning a "trick" or a lesson. Two mini-games have been developed so far, but the application can be extended with more. Several design decisions helped make the games enjoyable and appealing to children. This application won the gold award of the Challenge.