A sensor-controlled digital game for heart failure self-care based on behavioral change frameworks

Authors: RADHAKRISHNAN, KAVITA - University Of Texas At Austin; JULIEN, CHRISTINE - University Of Texas At Austin; O'HAIR, MATTHEW - Good Life Games, Llc; LEE, GRACE - University Of Texas At Austin; DEMAIN, ATAMI - University Of Texas At Austin; LEGGIO, KATELYN - University Of Texas At Austin; HEBÉRT ARSERS, EMILY - University Of Texas Health Science Center; BARANOWSKI, TOM - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)

Submitted to: IEEE Access
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/15/2022
Publication Date: 12/19/2022
Citation: Radhakrishnan, K., Julien, C., O'Hair, M., Lee, G., Demain, A.S., Leggio, K., Hebért Arsers, E.T., Baranowski, T. 2022. A sensor-controlled digital game for heart failure self-care based on behavioral change frameworks. 2022 IEEE 10th International Conference on Serious Games and Applications for Health(SeGAH). https://doi.org/10.1109/SEGAH54908.2022.9978594.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/SEGAH54908.2022.9978594

Interpretive Summary: Self-care behaviors, e.g. physical activity and weight monitoring for weight control, are critical to manage the adverse impact of heart failure (HF). However, engaging in self-care behaviors such as physical activity or daily weight-monitoring can be difficult due to lack of knowledge or motivation. Digital games can serve as an alternative to traditional patient education to provide information and motivate engagement in critical self-care behaviors. This paper presents both a sensor-controlled digital game (SCDG) in which game play is driven by the player's real life self-care behaviors and a small playtesting evaluation (n=15) of the game. The design and development of the next iteration of the SCDG is presented based on the playtesting results and behavioral theoretical frameworks.

Technical Abstract: Self-care behaviors are critical to manage the adverse impact of heart failure disease. However, engaging in self-care behaviors such as physical activity or daily weight-monitoring can be difficult due to lack of knowledge or motivation. Digital games can serve as an alternative to traditional patient education to provide information and motivate engagement in critical self-care behaviors. In this paper, we describe a sensor-controlled digital game (SCDG) in which game play is driven by the player's real life self-care behaviors. We also present the design and development of the next iteration of the SCDG based on play testing results and behavioral theoretical frameworks.