Video Game Improves Cancer Treatment For Young Adults
Gamasutra and the SF Chronicle today discuss the findings of a non-profit called HopeLab, founded in 2001, concluding that video games can help encourage young people with cancer to take their medications more consistently. Dr. Steve Cole, who helped direct the study, wrote,
“We now know that games can induce positive changes in the way individuals manage their health. The game not only motivates positive health behavior; it also gives players a greater sense of power and control over their disease — in fact, that seems to be its key ingredient.”
The game, called Re-Mission, and introduced in May 2006, is an open community for teenagers and young adults afflicted with cancer. The study followed 375 teens and young adults with cancer at 34 medical centers in the United States, Canada, and Australia. The results were very promising: young people who played the game maintained higher blood levels of chemotherapy and showed higher rates of antibiotic utilization than those who did not.
Re-Mission is powerful because of its focus on a specific cause and the ability to combine interactivity with gameplay. Here is a trailer of the game:
We really believe in the power of serious games to help positively drive human behavior. We’ve written about FreeRice and other serious games that improve the mind, body, and soul. We’d love to hear other examples of serious games that are helping improve the world.
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Tags: freerice, Gamasutra, gaming, HopeLab, human behavior, positive health, Re-Mission, serious games, young adults
August 10th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
[...] Health Heap wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt Gamasutra and the SF Chronicle today discuss the findings of a non-profit called HopeLab, founded in 2001, concluding that video games can help encourage young people with cancer to take their medications more consistently.