How Gameful Experience Affects Public Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding COVID-19 Among the Taiwanese Public: Cross-sectional Study.

Li-Hsun Peng,Ming-Han Bai

doi:10.2196/26216

Abstract

BackgroundIn 2019, with the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping across the globe, public health systems worldwide faced severe challenges. Amid the pandemic, one simulation game, Plague Inc., has received substantial attention. This game has indirectly drawn greater public attention to public health issues by simulating pathogen transmission and disease symptoms.ObjectiveAgainst this backdrop, this research investigates whether the gameful experience of Plague Inc. has indirectly affected public knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding COVID-19.MethodsAn online survey was conducted through social networking services in Taiwan from May 6-28, 2020.ResultsA total of 486 subjects participated in this study, of which 276 (56.8%) had played Plague Inc. This study had several findings. First, participants who had played Plague Inc. demonstrated higher levels of knowledge (P=.03, median 7, IQR 7-8) and attitudes (P=.007, median 8, IQR 7-8) than participants who had not played Plague Inc. (knowledge: median 7, IQR 6-8; attitude: median 7, IQR 6-8). Second, there was a significant correlation between creative thinking (ρ=.127, P=.04) and dominance (ρ=.122, P=.04) in attitude. Finally, there was a significant correlation between creative thinking (ρ=.126, P<.001) and dominance (ρ=.119, P=.049) in practice.ConclusionsSerious games highlighting the theme of pathogen transmission may enhance public knowledge and attitudes regarding COVID-19. Furthermore, the creative thinking and dominance involved in gameful experiences may act as critical factors in public attitudes and practices regarding COVID-19. These findings should be further verified through experimental research in the future.

Highlights

At the end of 2019, an outbreak of pneumonia of unknown cause was detected in Wuhan, China, and it was quickly discovered to be caused by a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 [1]
Serious games highlighting the theme of pathogen transmission may enhance public knowledge and attitudes regarding COVID-19
The creative thinking and dominance involved in gameful experiences may act as critical factors in public attitudes and practices regarding COVID-19

Summary

Introduction

At the end of 2019, an outbreak of pneumonia of unknown cause was detected in Wuhan, China, and it was quickly discovered to be caused by a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 [1]. On January 21, 2020, Taiwan reported the first confirmed COVID-19 case overseas [2]. Vaccines are considered one of the means of prevention of infectious diseases such as COVID-19, it takes time to verify their safety before they can be brought to market [4]. In the face of the severe threat of COVID-19, implementing controls on health care services and communities has been https://games.jmir.org/2021/2/e26216 XSLFO RenderX. In 2019, with the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping across the globe, public health systems worldwide faced severe challenges. One simulation game, Plague Inc., has received substantial attention. This game has indirectly drawn greater public attention to public health issues by simulating pathogen transmission and disease symptoms

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion