An Evidence Map on Serious Games in Preventing Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Adolescents: Systematic Review About Outcome Categories Investigated in Primary Studies

Karina Ilskens; Kamil J Wrona; Christoph Dockweiler; Florian Fischer

doi:10.2196/30526

An Evidence Map on Serious Games in Preventing Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Adolescents: Systematic Review About Outcome Categories Investigated in Primary Studies

JMIR Serious Games. 2022 Feb 2;10(1):e30526. doi: 10.2196/30526.

Authors

Karina Ilskens¹, Kamil J Wrona^{1

2}, Christoph Dockweiler³, Florian Fischer^{4

5

6}

Affiliations

¹ School of Public Health, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany.
² Faculty of Health, University of Applied Sciences Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany.
³ Department of Digital Public Health and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany.
⁴ Institute of Public Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
⁵ Institute of Gerontological Health Services and Nursing Research, Ravensburg-Weingarten University of Applied Sciences, Weingarten, Germany.
⁶ Bavarian Research Center for Digital Health and Social Care, Kempten University of Applied Sciences, Kempten, Germany.

PMID: 35107438
PMCID: PMC8851332
DOI: 10.2196/30526

Abstract

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) represent a global health risk. Adolescents are at increased risk of infection for several reasons such as lack of knowledge, risky sexual behaviors, and lack of behavioral sills (eg, to negotiate safer sex). Given the fact that adolescents often use digital media and that serious games are considered to have the potential to change knowledge, attitudes and behavior, serious games represent an opportunity for the prevention of STIs.

Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to identify and systematically summarize the dimensions that have been investigated in primary studies on serious games targeting STI prevention among adolescents.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted in PubMed and Web of Science. Studies published from 2009 to 2021 were included that assessed the effectiveness of serious games on adolescent sexual health. A total of 18 studies met the inclusion criteria and were categorized according to dimensions of effectiveness and user experience.

Results: Various dimensions of effectiveness and aspects of user experience were investigated in the primary studies. In total, 9 dimensions of effectiveness were observed: sexual behavior, behavioral intentions, knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, self-efficacy and personal limitations, character traits and future orientation, environmental and individual risk factors, risk perception and risk assessment, as well as normative beliefs and (social) norms. Furthermore, several dimensions related to user experience were investigated in primary studies, that is, motivation, acceptability, trustworthiness, comprehensibility, handling and control, perceived effectiveness, as well as satisfaction.

Conclusions: This review provides an overview of serious games interventions that are vastly different in approach, content, and even platform. In previous studies, knowledge has already been comprehensively assessed, and a positive influence of serious games on knowledge about sexual topics is evident. The results clearly show that adolescents' sexual knowledge has been increased by the serious games interventions. However, methodological and content differences in the surveys make it difficult to draw conclusions about the effectiveness related to changes in attitudes and behavior.

Keywords: STD; STI; adolescent sexual health; adolescents; effect; entertainment education; impact; serious games; sexual health; sexually transmitted infections.

©Karina Ilskens, Kamil J Wrona, Christoph Dockweiler, Florian Fischer. Originally published in JMIR Serious Games (https://games.jmir.org), 02.02.2022.

Publication types

Review