Authors: Fiona Gorman, Christopher Cappelli, James Pike, Brian Sandoval, Nicholas Gorman, Alan Stacy, Susan Ames.
Background: Past research has found that gamification, the process of adding games or game-like elements to a task to encourage participation, can enhance the efficacy of digital health interventions. However, the various components of gamification have yet to be systematically compared to determine which, if any, produce the greatest results.
Objective: For-profit game developers have successfully used gamification to promote learning and drive business. This paper first reviews the literature on gamification from the for-profit gaming industry and from health research in order to identify components of gamification with potential applications in digital health interventions. Existing health interventions utilizing gamification are then examined in order to describe current practices and identify common characteristics of successful programs.
Methods: Randomized control trials utilizing gamification reward elements were analyzed to determine the success, as well as utilization, of known practices from for-profit industries.
Results: While interventions were successful in promoting health change, several important components of gamification were not included, and inconsistent data reporting limits conclusions.
Conclusion: Further research is required to establish the efficacy and relative value of different gamification components and determine best practices in digital health interventions.
View/Download pdf