Digital games for sustainable cardiovascular health promotion: a way forward in Nepalese adolescentsShow others and affiliations
2023 (English)In: 10th Nordic Health Promotion Research Conference 2023: Sustainability and the impact on health and well-being: Abstract Book, Halmstad: Halmstad University Press, 2023, p. 75-75Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
Abstract [en]
Background: Digital interventions are promising tools to reach adolescents for cardiovascular health promotion.
Purpose: We assessed adolescents’ knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) regarding cardiovascular disease (CVD), explored opportunities for a digital intervention, and developed a serious game prototype.
Methods: In total, 649 adolescents grades 8-10 were surveyed in a semi-urban community of Nepal regarding KAP of CVD and digital pre-requisites. Eight focus group discussions (FGDs) separately among boys and girls (n=76) provided deeper understanding of CVD perceptions.
Findings: Median (IQR) percent scores for KAP were 70.6 (10.59), 78.5 (8.46) and 69.5 (11.59), respectively. Good KAP (median percent scores >75%) was found in 27.7%, 69% and 27.8% adolescents, respectively. Knowledge (p<0.001), attitude (p=0.025) and practice (p<0.001) was higher among adolescents in private than government schools. Girls had better attitude than boys (<0.001). Furthermore, 98% adolescents had smartphone access and 91.6% had internet access.
In preliminary FGD analyses adolescents mentioned physical, nutritional, mental, environmental and hereditary causes for CVD. Financial and work-related burdens, plus psychological and family-related issues were perceived to influence CVD severity. Junk food and physical inactivity were health barriers. Adolescents perceived serious games as beneficial and easy to use. Challenging game and attractive visuals were thought to stimulate game use.
Conclusion: With good attitude and excellent digital prerequisites, we conclude that serious games can help fill the existing gaps in knowledge and practice in Nepal. A prototype of “Happy Heart” is being pilot-tested among adolescents as a promising way for digital cardiovascular health promotion.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Halmstad: Halmstad University Press, 2023. p. 75-75
Keywords [en]
Cardiovascular health, cardiovascular health literacy, adolescents, lifestyle, gaming
National Category
Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology Interaction Technologies
Research subject
Research on Citizen Centered Health, University of Skövde (Reacch US); GAME Research Group
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:his:diva-24827ISBN: 978-91-89587-41-0 (print)OAI: oai:DiVA.org:his-24827DiVA, id: diva2:1925717
Conference
10th Nordic Health Promotion Research Conference 2023, Halmstad, June 14–16, 2023
2025-01-092025-01-092025-01-10Bibliographically approved