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Evaluating the Use of Gamification in m-Health Lifestyle-related Applications

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New Advances in Information Systems and Technologies

Part of the book series: Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing ((AISC,volume 445))

Abstract

The concept of applications (apps) as medical devices emerges as an important one in the field of mobile health (m-health). Within this field, apps have been used as tools that can drastically change the quality of healthcare on a global scale, as well as radically alter the reach of medical investigation. The use of gamification techniques to inspire the experience of app users has also stimulated the field of m-health, using the mechanics of games to improve the thought processes of app users. The article evaluates four m-health apps from the standpoint of the gamification of their functionalities. To this end, we have adopted the analytical framework of Werback and Hunter and used a six-step system. Our results empirically confirm some of the evidence found in the current literature; that is, the majority of apps that use gamification elements aim to achieve publicity as a secondary objective.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IFAL, R. Dr. Odilon Vasconcelos, 103, Maceió, AL, 57035-660, Brazil

    Marcílio Souza-Júnior & Laize Queiroz

  2. UFRPE—PPGIA, Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros, s/n, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil

    Jorge Correia-Neto & Guilherme Vilar

Authors
  1. Marcílio Souza-Júnior
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  2. Laize Queiroz
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  3. Jorge Correia-Neto
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  4. Guilherme Vilar
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jorge Correia-Neto .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. DEI/FCT, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Álvaro Rocha

  2. ISEGI,, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal

    Ana Maria Correia

  3. College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA

    Hojjat Adeli

  4. DSI, Universidade do Minho, Guimarães, Portugal

    Luis Paulo Reis

  5. Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros, s/n, DoisIrm, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil

    Marcelo Mendonça Teixeira

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Souza-Júnior, M., Queiroz, L., Correia-Neto, J., Vilar, G. (2016). Evaluating the Use of Gamification in m-Health Lifestyle-related Applications. In: Rocha, Á., Correia, A., Adeli, H., Reis, L., Mendonça Teixeira, M. (eds) New Advances in Information Systems and Technologies. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 445. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31307-8_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31307-8_7

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-31306-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-31307-8

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

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