User Involvement Research Articles

Development of automated information control systems to improve ship management

BACKGROUND: Information control systems (ICS) play a key role in supporting effective management decision-making at all organizational levels. This is especially relevant for captains and managers who need to quickly receive, process, and distribute information during the planning and control. AIM: To analyze the operational features of the ship ICS and develop a mathematical model for in-depth system design at the design study phase. METHODS: The methods include analysis of international ICS design and operation practices and mathematical modeling with an option of computer experiments. RESULTS: The authors identified three management levels, i.e. strategic, tactical, and operational, and determined information requirements on each level. The paper describes the ICS architecture and specifications, the importance of user involvement in design, and the need for staff training and cost reduction. The authors developed a mathematical model allowing to conduct computer experiments to prove the efficiency of design solutions. CONCLUSIONS: Efficiency of ICS directly depends on the correct selection of information, user involvement in the design, and staff training. The presented model shows how theoretical approaches are used in real-life practice and may be used as a basis for further improvement of ICS for ships.

Engagement and attrition in digital mental health: current challenges and potential solutions

In digital mental health engagement rates are consistently low, which may limit its effects. Using an international multidisciplinary consensus method, including lived experience expertise and a systematic review, we identified three key challenges: (i) lack of agreed metrics for engagement; (ii) lack of evidence on how better engagement improves outcomes; (iii) lack of standards for user involvement. Three potential solutions encompassed: (i) standardisation of frameworks for reporting engagement metrics and optimal doses of digital tools, (ii) measuring engagement with more precise reporting of outcomes, including potential harms; (iii) defining standards of user involvement (including appropriate diversity, and clinician as well as user input). Digital interventions have real potential in meeting the shortfall in service provision for mental health, but this will require focus on high quality research studies of the underlying mechanisms of engagement and optimal outcomes. Our findings identify and highlight the next best steps in this process.

Integrating the Situational Theory of Problem Solving and Technology Acceptance Model to Predict Intention to Practice Health Protective Behavior for Influenza-Like Illness Among TikTok Users: Cross-Sectional Study.

Outbreaks of influenza-like illness (ILI) pose ongoing public health challenges, prompting widespread demand for timely and accessible health information. TikTok, a leading short video platform, has emerged as an overarching channel for disseminating health-related content, particularly in mainland China. While previous studies have examined health communication on social media, few have integrated complementary theoretical frameworks to understand how user perceptions and motivations jointly influence health behaviors. This study integrates the situational theory of problem solving (STOPS) and the technology acceptance model (TAM) to examine the communicative actions and intentions of Chinese TikTok users to adopt health protective behaviors in response to ILI. A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted in China between June and July 2023 using convenience and snowball sampling. A total of 1109 valid responses were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Constructs from STOPS (problem recognition, constraint recognition, involvement recognition, situational motivation, and communicative action in problem solving) and TAM (perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and attitude) were measured alongside risk perception and intention to engage in protective behaviors. Perceived usefulness (β=.344; P<.001) and ease of use (β=.359; P<.001) positively influenced the attitude toward using TikTok. Risk perception (β=.050, P=.02) had a small but significant impact on attitude. Situational motivation was positively predicted by risk perception (β=.154; P<.001), problem recognition (β=.153; P<.001), and involvement recognition (β=.248; P<.001) but negatively predicted by constraint recognition (β=-.265; P<.001). Both attitude (β=.390; P<.001) and situational motivation (β=.471; P<.001) significantly influenced communicative action, which in turn predicted intention to practice protective behaviors (β=.570; P<.001). Mediation analyses confirmed the partial mediating roles of attitude and situational motivation. TikTok is an effective platform for public health communication in China, particularly for ILI-related content. Integrating the STOPS and TAM provides a robust framework for explaining how user perceptions and motivations translate into digital engagement and health protective intentions. These findings suggest that interventions should not only enhance technological usability and credibility but also tailor content to elevate perceived personal relevance and reduce psychological or contextual constraints. Future public health campaigns can benefit from engaging influencers, using participatory content formats, and targeting specific motivational cues to increase user involvement in health communication and behavioral change. Caution is warranted in generalizing these results because of the culturally specific and demographically skewed nature of the sample.

Modeling Affective Mechanisms in Relaxing Video Games: Sentiment and Topic Analysis of User Reviews

The accelerating pace of digital life has intensified psychological strain, increasing the demand for accessible and systematized emotional support tools. Relaxing video games—defined as low-pressure, non-competitive games designed to promote calm and emotional relief—offer immersive environments that facilitate affective engagement and sustained user involvement. This study proposes a computational framework that integrates sentiment analysis and topic modeling to investigate the affective mechanisms and behavioral dynamics associated with relaxing gameplay. We analyzed nearly 60,000 user reviews from the Steam platform in both English and Chinese, employing a hybrid methodology that combines sentiment classification, dual-stage Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), and multi-label mechanism tagging. Emotional relief emerged as the dominant sentiment (62.8%), whereas anxiety was less prevalent (10.4%). Topic modeling revealed key affective dimensions such as pastoral immersion and cozy routine. Regression analysis demonstrated that mechanisms like emotional relief (β = 0.0461, p = 0.001) and escapism (β = 0.1820, p &lt; 0.001) were significant predictors of longer playtime, while Anxiety Expression lost statistical significance (p = 0.124) when contextual controls were added. The findings highlight the potential of relaxing video games as scalable emotional regulation tools and demonstrate how sentiment- and topic-driven modeling can support system-level understanding of affective user behavior. This research contributes to affective computing, digital mental health, and the design of emotionally aware interactive systems.

Assistive Technologies for Individuals with a Disability from a Neurological Condition: A Narrative Review on the Multimodal Integration.

Neurological disorders often result in a broad spectrum of disabilities that impact mobility, communication, cognition, and sensory processing, leading to significant limitations in independence and quality of life. Assistive technologies (ATs) offer tools to compensate for these impairments, support daily living, and improve quality of life. The World Health Organization encourages the adoption and diffusion of effective assistive technology (AT). This narrative review aims to explore the integration, benefits, and challenges of assistive technologies in individuals with neurological disabilities, focusing on their role across mobility, communication, cognitive, and sensory domains. A narrative approach was adopted by reviewing relevant studies published between 2014 and 2024. Literature was sourced from PubMed and Scopus using specific keyword combinations related to assistive technology and neurological disorders. Findings highlight the potential of ATs, ranging from traditional aids to intelligent systems like brain-computer interfaces and AI-driven devices, to enhance autonomy, communication, and quality of life. However, significant barriers remain, including usability issues, training requirements, accessibility disparities, limited user involvement in design, and a low diffusion of a health technology assessment approach. Future directions emphasize the need for multidimensional, user-centered solutions that integrate personalization through machine learning and artificial intelligence to ensure long-term adoption and efficacy. For instance, combining brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) with virtual reality (VR) using machine learning algorithms could help monitor cognitive load in real time. Similarly, ATs driven by artificial intelligence technology could be useful to dynamically respond to users' physiological and behavioral data to optimize support in daily tasks.

Mobile applications for non-communicable disease Management: A systematic review of development methods and effectiveness.

Mobile applications for non-communicable disease Management: A systematic review of development methods and effectiveness.

Evaluating the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Prototype Hospital Digital Antibiotic Review Tracking Toolkit: A Qualitative Study Using the RE-AIM Framework

Background: Internationally, digital health interventions have increasingly been adopted within hospital settings. Optimising their clinical implementation requires user involvement, but there is a lack of evidence regarding how this should be done. Objectives: This study was carried out to understand the acceptability and usability of a prototype Digital Antibiotic Review Tracking Toolkit and identify modifications required to optimise it ahead of a trial. Methods: The optimisation process involved online semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of fifteen healthcare professionals recruited from Scotland and England, along with three service users, to gather feedback on the prototype’s design, content and delivery. Participants’ negative views were specifically sought to identify adaptations needed to ensure that the intervention’s components aligned optimally with end-user needs. Data were analysed using Framework Analysis guided by the RE-AIM implementation science framework (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) to identify key themes. Results: Participants mostly voiced positive views regarding the prototype, finding it acceptable, feasible and engaging. They also identified concerns relating to its adoption, system functionality, accessibility and maintenance that needed to be addressed. Anticipated low adoption rates were linked to issues surrounding computer literacy. This detailed user feedback informed rapid adjustments to the intervention to enhance its acceptability, perceived future credibility and usability in hospitals. Conclusions: This novel study illustrates how to identify, modify and adapt a digital intervention quickly and efficiently using qualitative iterative methods. Findings highlight the critical importance of contextualising end-user experience with health interventions to facilitate future engagement, uptake, and long-term use. This study also demonstrates how core elements of the MRC framework can be operationalised to help refine prototype digital interventions pre-trial.

Reasons for the Failure of Most In-House Software Development in Tanzania: A Case Study of Selected Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs)

Since it has evolved into an essential part of today’s world, 90% of Tanzanian businesses have attempted to develop in-house software for their operations. However, a substantial fraction of these projects haven’t quite achieved what they set out to. The bulk of in-house software development projects in Tanzania have been unsuccessful. This article presents ideas for improving the success rate of in-house software development initiatives and explains why this is the case. As part of the qualitative research methodology, software developers, project managers, and other stakeholders took part in focus groups and interviews. The results show that there are several factors, such as a lack of qualified staff, an inadequate budget allocation, poor project management, a lack of precise project requirements, improper communication, an inadequate amount of resources, and a lack of user involvement, that significantly contribute to the failure of in-house software development projects in Tanzania. The study makes numerous recommendations for enhancing the success rate of in-house software development initiatives in Tanzania. Involving end users throughout the project life cycle, implementing strong project management practices, allocating enough time and resources for software testing, hiring experts to establish and gather precise project requirements, allocating adequate budgets, and setting up efficient communication channels are a few examples of these. Additionally, in-house software development must adhere to the SDLC’s standards by enhancing the model of the SDLC that best suits the nature of the development process.

Quantitative Outcomes for Shared Assessment and Management in Forensic Mental Health: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

Despite leading models of mental health care encouraging user involvement, users in forensic mental health (FMH) report poor involvement given the difficulty in reconciling shared approaches with risk-averse and legally mandated settings. While previous research has demonstrated qualitative benefits to shared approaches in FMH and has led to a proliferation of self-rated assessment tools, there remains to quantify agreement on self-rated tools and to clarify the impact of shared approaches on care. This meta-analysis examines (1) the correlation between clinician and user ratings, (2) the predictive validity of self-ratings for violence, and (3) the effects of shared risk management on violence and restriction in FMH. Five databases were searched from inception to April 2024, selecting for adult FMH inpatients, shared risk assessment, needs assessment or violence management as interventions, and quantitative outcomes (correlation, agreement, predictive validity, and effect on violence or restriction rates). Fifteen quantitative evaluations were retained. One of three planned meta-analyses could be conducted, with seven records providing paired clinician-user t-tests. Eleven more records provided clinical recommendations on operationalizing shared approaches. Random-effects meta-analysis showed a significant and large paired standard difference of .95 (95% CI = [.49,1.42]) across tools, with significant differences in DUNDRUM-3, DUNDRUM-4, and CANFOR sub-models. While acknowledging between-study heterogeneity, results substantiate quantitative differences where clinicians generally rate more needs and lesser progress than users across tools, showing that self-ratings can and should be used to broach collaborative discussions on needs and progress during FMH treatment. There remains an evidence gap for quantitative benefits in care outcomes and a need to standardize agreement measures for future comparisons and clinical sub-group analyses.

USER INVOLVEMENT IN POVERTY POLICY STRUCTURES AS AN APPROACH TO GIVE A VOICE TO PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY AND TO STRENGTHEN SOCIAL COEHISION

Solidarity and social inclusion, which are often used as synonyms in professional discourse on social work, are understood to date with too little focus on the structural level in politics, economics and social services. Furthermore, in the implementation of projects to promote social cohesion, marginalized groups such as people affected by poverty have so far been insufficiently involved in identifying commonalities between groups of people and in joint activities. Therefore, following the user involvement approach and on a structural level, I argue that political, economic and social conditions as well commitment must be in place. In the case of people affected by poverty, who are a very heterogeneous group, at least in Switzerland, mechanisms are needed to enable these groups to identify and voice their concerns and bring them to the attention of the appropriate political, economic or social decision-makers in a targeted manner. Using two research-based projects from poverty policy in Switzerland, I follow to answer the research question: How can people affected by poverty be given a voice in the structures and decision-making processes of poverty policy? The theoretical framework is based on the user involvement approach. Using participative, qualitative and quantitative research methods I answer the question with the potential impact, challenges and conditions of an implementable platform and training courses for professionals from politics, economics and social services, as well as for people affected by poverty. This differentiated knowledge of people affected by poverty and the fulfillment of the requirements of all those involved, a structure of exchange supported by social policy and led by external professionals, willingness to learn and work together, clear communication, or reimbursement of travel expenses, are necessary to strive for a truly sustainable and inclusive society, rather than one that merely appears to be so. However, it should be noted that potential impact has been identified and that further long-term impact and international comparative analyses are necessary to gain comprehensive knowledge.

Implementation of a Prototype-Based Logistics Information System at the Blood Transfusion Unit of Indonesian Red Cross, Karawang Regency

This study addresses critical operational inefficiencies within the logistics unit of the Blood Transfusion Unit (UTD) of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) in Karawang Regency, which currently relies on manual processes. The existing system presents significant challenges in data recording, retrieval, and reporting, leading to substantial delays and an inefficient workload for the dedicated staff. To mitigate these challenges, a prototype software development methodology was adopted, emphasizing an iterative development cycle and direct user involvement. The proposed system is designed to computerize inventory management, streamline operational workflows, and facilitate faster, more accurate data handling across various logistical functions, including goods requests, distribution, receipt, and purchasing. The implementation of this system is anticipated to yield substantial benefits, including a significant reduction in data errors, accelerated item search and transaction processing, and enhanced reporting capabilities. These improvements are expected to alleviate the heavy workload on logistics personnel, making the management of essential supplies more efficient and reliable for UTD PMI. This research not only contributes to the technical advancement of information systems but also demonstrates a practical application of these principles to solve critical operational challenges within a vital humanitarian organization, thereby improving the efficiency and reliability of a crucial public service. The emphasis on minimizing errors and accelerating data search directly addresses the core pain points, indicating a tangible improvement in service delivery and strategic capabilities.

Mechanisms of interaction with the audience in new media

INTRODUCTION. The growing amount of information and the struggle of multiple sources of information and communication for the users’ attention have raised the problem of the accessibility of online media news to a new level. Each online media outlet, by expanding the possibilities for transmitting information through social media, strives to keep the user on a specific site and involve them in the process of reading/watching the news. The purpose of the study is to identify existing practices of user involvement using the example of online media and the media of the Tambov region.MATERIALS AND METHODS. The communication channels of such network media as information agency “Online Tambov”, VestiTambov.ru, Russian Information Agency “TOP68”, website of the “New Age-Tambov” TV company, “Komsomolskaya Pravda” Tambov, Tambov Notebook, AboutTambov Information Portal, Moskovsky Komsomolets in Tambov, TWolf – city portals, Tambov Reporter. The main methods are content analysis, system analysis, and classification. The study period is September – November 2024.RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. Explicit and hidden mechanisms of audience engagement by online mass media and media of the Tambov region have been identified. The effectiveness of these mechanisms in the practice of regional network media is determined.CONCLUSION. The results of the study can be used for further analysis of trends in the work of regional network mass media with the audience, communication channels and the mass information itself.

Hotel stays of individuals with a visual impairment: a qualitative study with a focus on sensory substitution

Sensory substitution devices (SSDs) hold the potential to assist individuals with a visual impairment with actions such as navigation and orientation. Even so, SSDs are not frequently used in everyday life. The lack of user involvement in the development of SSDs may be among the reasons for this discrepancy. To remedy the gap, this study explores the challenges that are encountered by individuals with a visual impairment in a situation in which SSDs may be particularly useful: the hotel environment. Semi-structured interviews conducted with eight individuals revealed three main themes: navigation and orientation challenges and strategies, wayfinding aids, and user needs. The findings highlight substantial challenges due to accessibility, localization, spatial configuration, obstacles, and dependency on others. Navigation strategies employed by the individuals included exploration, the use of mental maps, environmental cues, and asking for spatial directions. Whereas SSDs were considered to have future potential, issues of precision and information overload were common concerns. The study revealed a need of individuals for autonomy, control, and sociability, which is in line with the basic human needs proposed by Deci and Ryan in their self-determination theory. Overall, our findings underscore the importance of tailoring SSDs to the specific challenges that are encountered by individuals with a visual impairment. Furthermore, it is important to consider SSDs in the broader context of the needs of individuals, because the satisfaction of needs promotes people’s well-being and motivation to use SSDs.

Human-centric Product Conceptual Design Model and Its Feedback-based Co-evolution Method

In the context of Industry 5.0, more emphasis is placed on human-centric smart manufacturing patterns. Product design is a vital phase of smart manufacturing, involving user engagement is an essential factor in enhancing design quality and fostering innovation. With user involvement in-depth, dynamically changing user requirements and feedback bring new problems to the design process, and the traditional linear solving process cannot perceive such variations timely, which causes hysteresis in the solution. The design solution's hysteresis affects the consensus achievement process between the designer and user, further prolonging the iteration cycle. To address this issue, a human-centric product conceptual design model is proposed for the timely translation of such variations into design solutions. In this model, design problems are formed by centering on user requirements, designer and user collaboratively solve the problems to form design solutions. Through a cycle of problem-driven, knowledge-supported, and solution evaluation, new problems are solved promptly to achieve progressive solution convergence, which clarifies the iterative evolution process and improves iterative efficiency. To verify the effectiveness of the model, a natural gas well foaming agent automatic filling device design is presented.

The Impact of Mobile Banking Applications on Customer Engagement and Satisfaction

Abstract Digital tech advancements have changed the global money scene, with phone banking now key to financial access, ease, and better service. In India more people use phone banking because of increased smartphone ownership, government digital programs, and changing customer needs. Though widely used, we still need to study how different phone banking features affect customer involvement and happiness in government-owned banks like Bank of Baroda. This research looks at how phone banking apps affect customer involvement and happiness. It aims to find which features most improve user experience and to assess how ease of use, functions, safety, and speed shape customer views and loyalty. The study uses Bank of Baroda's 'bob World' app as an example to put findings in context. We used a descriptive research plan with a number-based approach. We gathered new data through set questions from a group of young adults aged 18–34. The survey checked things like how often people use the app how easy it is to use how safe it seems, its speed, functions, and overall user happiness. We then used math tools to analyze the data to find patterns and links between user involvement and app features. The research showed that app functionality has the biggest impact on customer satisfaction. This includes how easy the app is to use, what services it offers, and how well it works. While some users worry about security, it's not the main thing that makes younger, tech-savvy users happy. People liked features such as moving money, paying bills, and topping up their phones. They also wanted better security faster speeds, and a nicer-looking app. Bank of Baroda's work to add new features like AI helpers, support for many languages, and tools for investing has boosted user engagement. But the study also points out areas that need work, like how fast customer support responds and how well people know about security measures. In the end, these findings show how important it is to design banking apps with users in mind and to keep coming up with new digital ideas to build customer loyalty over time in the banking world. Keywords : Mobile banking, customer satisfaction, digital banking, service functionality, usability, Bank of Baroda, bob World, mobile app performance, financial technology, user engagement. Submit Research Paper Submit Research Paper Publication Procedure Publication Ethics Call for Papers Publication Topics Guidelines Disclamiar Copyright Infragmentation FAQ Terms and Conditions Digital Object Identifier Editorial Board Health Care+ Download Manuscript Template Copyright Form Sample Certificates

Between willingness and practice: a nationwide survey of 1,334 German patient organization members on user involvement in digital service development.

As the digital transformation of healthcare progresses, key actors such as patient organizations (POs) are adapting their activities and services to digital formats. This study explores how PO members are involved in developing digital services, focusing on their general willingness, actual involvement, and associated factors. A nationwide online survey was conducted among members of German POs from August to November 2023. Participants were recruited through 300 national POs. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression analyses to examine potential predictors of three involvement variables. Of the 1,334 participants, the majority were female (67.2%) and aged ≥50 years (65.6%). While only 22.4% of respondents had been approached by their PO to contribute to digital services - most commonly to PO websites, focusing primarily on content development - 81.2% emphasized the importance of member involvement, and nearly half (48%) expressed willingness to engage. Members volunteering within their PO were significantly more likely than non-volunteers to express willingness (OR = 2.905, 95% CI: 2.163-3.901, p < 0.001) and to be approached by their PO (OR = 5.227, 95% CI: 3.765-7.256, p < 0.001). Additionally, members not engaged in volunteer roles were significantly less likely to agree to such a request (OR = 0.076, 95% CI: 0.032-0.181, p < 0.001). Members with poor self-rated digital skills were significantly less likely to express willingness (OR = 0.235, 95% CI: 0.135-0.407, p < 0.001) or to be involved (OR = 0.070, 95% CI: 0.016-0.300, p < 0.001) than those with strong digital skills. Other factors, such as age, gender, educational attainment, and membership duration, were significantly associated with specific aspects of involvement. The findings highlight a notable gap between the broad willingness of PO members to engage in digital service development and the limited actual involvement opportunities currently provided by POs. This suggests that structured involvement processes may not yet be fully established, leaving substantial potential untapped. To gain a more comprehensive understanding, future research should explore POs' perspectives on the feasibility of member involvement, as well as structural and organizational factors that shape these opportunities.

Addressing the Value Management Approach in Public Construction Works: Barriers, Critical Success Factors, and Potential Risks

Value management (VM) is a management approach aimed at inspiring individuals, nurturing their talents, and fostering synergy and innovation, all with the objective of enhancing an organization’s overall performance. This methodology seeks to reduce costs while actively engaging a diverse array of stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle. Despite its significance in construction projects, there exists a notable gap in the literature regarding the implementation of value management in public works. This study aims to identify the barriers that hinder the effective implementation of value management, as well as the critical success factors and potential risks associated with its adoption in public projects. Additionally, it assesses Turkey’s readiness for implementation within the construction sector by examining awareness levels, legislative issues, and other pertinent topics. To conduct the study, a quantitative survey was administered to 337 participants from various roles within the Turkish construction sector. The findings revealed that the inherent complexity of construction projects, time constraints, and difficulties in alternative selection are the primary barriers to implementing the value management approach in public works. Regarding the critical success factors for effective VM implementation, the involvement of end users, a collaborative workshop environment, and the multidisciplinary composition of the VM team were identified as the most significant contributors to success. Additionally, the study highlighted potential risks associated with the adoption of VM in public works, including low operating efficiency, a low participation rate in tenders, and cost overruns. The discussion also addressed legislative and process-oriented strategies for the potential adoption of value management.

The impact of technology: how features, resources and task demands shape digital well-being

PurposeDespite growing awareness that digital technology has both positive and negative implications, the role of specific features in shaping users’ overall well-being remains inadequately understood. We aim to investigate the relationship between technology features, type of task, users’ resources and well-being, to address conflicting empirical evidence in the extant literature.Design/methodology/approachWe draw on the Conservation of Resources theory and Involvement theory to analyse user experiences with the digital platforms of a local authority in England. We use an explanatory case-study, nested in a critical realist perspective, and draw on observations, document analysis and interviews with two stakeholder groups.FindingsWe find that digital well-being is a situated condition shaped by users’ goals, resources and experiences. This explains why the same technology feature – e.g. self-service – supports well-being in low-involvement tasks but not in high-involvement ones. We also show that the hedonic and functional aspects of technology are interdependent in the production of digital well-being and describe how the alignment between resources’ affordances and the users’ specific needs and goals shape well-being.Originality/valueWe address the conflicting evidence regarding the impact of digital technology on well-being, in the extant literature. This will support future researchers to critically analyse under what conditions technology will benefit vs harm individual well-being and society. It also highlights the importance of designing digital platforms that are aligned with the level of user involvement, to create digital solutions that promote user well-being and foster an inclusive society.

Virtual serious games for women's health education: A scoping review.

Virtual serious games (VSGs) offer an engaging approach to women's health education. This review examines the state of research on VSGs, focusing on intended users, design characteristics, and assessed outcomes. Following JBI methodology guidance for the scoping review, searches were conducted in the MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, Web of Science, and PsycINFO databases from inception to April 22, 2024. Eligible sources included participants: women or females aged 18 years and older, with no restrictions based on health condition or treatment status; concept: VSGs; context: settings where health education is provided. Sources were restricted to English language and peer-reviewed articles. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full texts using eligibility criteria. Data extraction was performed by one reviewer and verified by another using a custom tool. Quantitative (e.g., frequency counting) and qualitative (content analysis) methods were employed. The findings were organized into figures and tables accompanied by a narrative description. 12 studies from 2008 to 2023, mostly in the U.S. (66.7%), explored various age groups and women's health, focusing on breast and gynecological cancer (67%). Half (50%) of the VSGs were theory-informed; 41.7% involved users, and 58.3% had partnerships. Game types included tablet (41.7%), mobile (25%), and web (33.3%). Gameplay dosage varied from single session (50%) to self-directed (25%) and specific frequency (25%). Gameplay duration was self-directed (50%) or fixed lengths (50%). Outcomes included knowledge (50%), skills (16.7%), satisfaction (58.3%), health-related metrics (41.7%), and gameplay analysis (16.7%). Studies show increased interest in VSGs for women's health education, especially regarding breast and gynecological cancer. The focus on theoretical frameworks, user involvement, and collaborations highlights a multidisciplinary approach. Varied game modalities, dosage, and assessed outcomes underscore VSG adaptability. Future research should explore long-term effects of VSGs to advance women's health education.

Virtual serious games for women’s health education: A scoping review

BackgroundVirtual serious games (VSGs) offer an engaging approach to women’s health education. This review examines the state of research on VSGs, focusing on intended users, design characteristics, and assessed outcomes.MethodsFollowing JBI methodology guidance for the scoping review, searches were conducted in the MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, Web of Science, and PsycINFO databases from inception to April 22, 2024. Eligible sources included participants: women or females aged 18 years and older, with no restrictions based on health condition or treatment status; concept: VSGs; context: settings where health education is provided. Sources were restricted to English language and peer-reviewed articles. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full texts using eligibility criteria. Data extraction was performed by one reviewer and verified by another using a custom tool. Quantitative (e.g., frequency counting) and qualitative (content analysis) methods were employed. The findings were organized into figures and tables accompanied by a narrative description.Results12 studies from 2008 to 2023, mostly in the U.S. (66.7%), explored various age groups and women’s health, focusing on breast and gynecological cancer (67%). Half (50%) of the VSGs were theory-informed; 41.7% involved users, and 58.3% had partnerships. Game types included tablet (41.7%), mobile (25%), and web (33.3%). Gameplay dosage varied from single session (50%) to self-directed (25%) and specific frequency (25%). Gameplay duration was self-directed (50%) or fixed lengths (50%). Outcomes included knowledge (50%), skills (16.7%), satisfaction (58.3%), health-related metrics (41.7%), and gameplay analysis (16.7%).ConclusionsStudies show increased interest in VSGs for women’s health education, especially regarding breast and gynecological cancer. The focus on theoretical frameworks, user involvement, and collaborations highlights a multidisciplinary approach. Varied game modalities, dosage, and assessed outcomes underscore VSG adaptability. Future research should explore long-term effects of VSGs to advance women’s health education.