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Game-Based Interventions in Public Health: Exploiting the Engaging Factor of Gameplay

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Encyclopedia of Computer Graphics and Games

Synonyms

Game-based approach; Games for health; Gamification; Health games; Serious games

Definition

Game-based intervention in public health: exploiting the engaging factor of gameplay is the application of game science, techniques, and technologies for supporting public health interventions, specifically focusing on serious games and gamification approaches. Serious games refer to digital game technologies that serve a purpose other than pure entertainment, and gamification is a technique that exploits game concepts and mechanics in non-game contexts in order to motivate engagement and sustain participation in serious activities.

Introduction

The increase of health impediments due to unhealthy lifestyle has put a lot of pressure on public health spending. Even though public health programs are important in raising awareness toward lowering the prevalence of physical and psychological health complications, the general public should be made accountable for their own health and...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Disruptive Media Learning Lab, Coventry University, Coventry, West Midlands, CV1 5FB, UK

    Sylvester Arnab

Authors
  1. Sylvester Arnab
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sylvester Arnab .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Newton Lee Laboratories, LLC, Tujunga, California, USA

    Newton Lee

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© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Arnab, S. (2015). Game-Based Interventions in Public Health: Exploiting the Engaging Factor of Gameplay. In: Lee, N. (eds) Encyclopedia of Computer Graphics and Games. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08234-9_29-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08234-9_29-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-08234-9

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