{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,22]],"date-time":"2026-10-22T06:21:47Z","timestamp":1792650107754,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":60,"publisher":"JMIR Publications Inc.","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JMIR Serious Games"],"abstract":"\n Background<\/jats:title>\n Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a serious, vaccine-preventable infectious disease that can be life-threatening. Teaching adolescents about the early detection and prevention of IMD can be challenging in a school environment, with educators reporting they lack confidence or expertise to cover this in the classroom environment. Professional guest educators are an alternative to cover specialist topics such as IMD; however, time and resourcing constraints can mean that these educators are not always available. Serious games may be an alternative to face-to-face education, where complex health information may be delivered via self-directed gameplay.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Objective<\/jats:title>\n This study aims to develop a serious game that can replace a face-to-face educator in a classroom setting to educate adolescents aged 12 years to 15 years. This study evaluates the efficacy of the Meningococcal Immunisation Awareness, Prevention and Protection app (MIApp), a serious game designed to replicate the information provided in a 30-minute face-to-face presentation provided by a trained educator.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n This clustered, randomized controlled equivalence trial involved students (Years 7-10) from 6 secondary schools across metropolitan Western Australia who completed pre- and postintervention questionnaires with a follow-up at 3 months postintervention to measure the primary outcome of IMD knowledge acquisition following this self-guided intervention. The findings were compared with changes in an active control (comparison) group who received an in-class educational presentation about IMD transmission and protection. A questionnaire was developed to assess 9 key areas of knowledge. Median scores for knowledge pre- and postintervention were collected from a self-administered assessment of this questionnaire and, at 3 months postintervention, were compared between groups. A knowledge score of +\/\u20132\/16 was determined a priori to meet the criteria for equivalence. Participants who used MIApp were also asked a series of questions to assess the enjoyment of and engagement with the game.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n Of the 788 participating students, the median postintervention correct score in both the MIApp and control cohorts was 14\/16 (87.5% correct responses), compared with the median pre-intervention correct score of 6\/16 (37.5% correct responses), representing a significant (P<.001) increase in IMD knowledge in both groups. Improvements were retained in both groups 3 months after the initial intervention (median correct score: 11\/16 in the intervention group; 12\/16 in the control group; P=.86), demonstrating the efficacy of MIApp to deliver health education about IMD transmission and protection, although response rates in the follow-up cohort were low (255\/788, 32.4%).<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n MIApp met the predetermined threshold for equivalence, demonstrating similar improvements in knowledge posttrial and at the 3-month follow-up. Participating adolescents considered the MIApp game more enjoyable than a presentation, with equivalent improvements in knowledge. Serious games could represent a constructive tool to help teachers impart specialized health education.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.2196\/60755","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,19]],"date-time":"2024-11-19T17:00:27Z","timestamp":1732035627000},"page":"e60755","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Evaluating the Efficacy of a Serious Game to Deliver Health Education About Invasive Meningococcal Disease: Clustered Randomized Controlled Equivalence 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