A video game improves behavioral outcomes in adolescents and young adults with cancer: a randomized trial.
Title | A video game improves behavioral outcomes in adolescents and young adults with cancer: a randomized trial. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2008 |
Authors | Kato PM, Cole SW, Bradlyn AS, Pollock BH |
Journal | Pediatrics |
Volume | 122 |
Issue | 2 |
Pagination | e305-17 |
Date Published | 2008 Aug |
ISSN | 1098-4275 |
Keywords | Adaptation, Physiological, Adaptation, Psychological, Adolescent, Adult, Female, Health Behavior, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Humans, Male, Neoplasms, Patient Compliance, Patient Education as Topic, Poisson Distribution, Probability, Quality of Life, Reference Values, Self Efficacy, Video Games |
Abstract | OBJECTIVE: Suboptimal adherence to self-administered medications is a common problem. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a video-game intervention for improving adherence and other behavioral outcomes for adolescents and young adults with malignancies including acute leukemia, lymphoma, and soft-tissue sarcoma. METHODS: A randomized trial with baseline and 1- and 3-month assessments was conducted from 2004 to 2005 at 34 medical centers in the United States, Canada, and Australia. A total of 375 male and female patients who were 13 to 29 years old, had an initial or relapse diagnosis of a malignancy, and currently undergoing treatment and expected to continue treatment for at least 4 months from baseline assessment were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. The intervention was a video game that addressed issues of cancer treatment and care for teenagers and young adults. Outcome measures included adherence, self-efficacy, knowledge, control, stress, and quality of life. For patients who were prescribed prophylactic antibiotics, adherence to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was tracked by electronic pill-monitoring devices (n = 200). Adherence to 6-mercaptopurine was assessed through serum metabolite assays (n = 54). RESULTS: Adherence to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and 6-mercaptopurine was greater in the intervention group. Self-efficacy and knowledge also increased in the intervention group compared with the control group. The intervention did not affect self-report measures of adherence, stress, control, or quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: The video-game intervention significantly improved treatment adherence and indicators of cancer-related self-efficacy and knowledge in adolescents and young adults who were undergoing cancer therapy. The findings support current efforts to develop effective video-game interventions for education and training in health care. |
DOI | 10.1542/peds.2007-3134 |
Alternate Journal | Pediatrics |
PubMed ID | 18676516 |
Grant List | CA054174 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States CA098543 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States CA95861 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States |