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Use of Gaming in Self-Management of Diabetes in Teens

  • Psychosocial Aspects (S Jaser and KK Hood, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

With the growing prevalence of diabetes in teens and frequent concomitant problems with adherence, adolescents are a frequent target for diabetes self-management support and education. Due to widespread use of technology among teens in general, the use of serious games, games used for purposes beyond entertainment with the intention to educate and support health behavior for teens with diabetes self-management, is an emerging and promising practice. This report explores games intended for teens with diabetes, how the use of games may enhance clinical practice, and provides suggestions for future research and better utilization of these technologies. Current research on the use of gaming for promoting diabetes management in teens is fairly limited, with some initial support for improvements in both behavioral and clinical outcomes among teens. More research is clearly needed in order to further determine how gaming can best be utilized to impact health outcomes in these teens, as well as potential mechanisms of change.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. O’Neil Center/GetWellNetwork, 7700 Old Georgetown Road, 4th Floor, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA

    Ellen Swartwout, Ashley El-Zein & Patricia Deyo

  2. Center for Translational Science, Children’s National Health System, 111 Michigan Ave., NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA

    Rachel Sweenie & Randi Streisand

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  1. Ellen Swartwout
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  2. Ashley El-Zein
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  3. Patricia Deyo
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Correspondence to Ellen Swartwout.

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Ellen Swartwout, Ashley El-Zein, Patricia Deyo, Rachel Sweenie, and Randi Streisand declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Swartwout, E., El-Zein, A., Deyo, P. et al. Use of Gaming in Self-Management of Diabetes in Teens. Curr Diab Rep 16, 59 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-016-0754-2

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