A trading-card game teaching about host defence.
OBJECTIVE
To heighten the understanding of host-disease interactions by adolescents and young adults, using a trading card game format.


METHODS
A trading card game was developed in which paired students attack one another with pathogens or parry those attacks with appropriate defences. Twenty-five infectious pathogens or cancers, 30 defence agents and 6 health status modifying conditions were included.


METHODS
A middle school, upper school and medical school in the United States.


METHODS
8th grade, 10th grade and first year medical students.


RESULTS
The game was tested using pre-test/post-test evaluations in 8th graders, 10th graders and medical students. Factual information, pathogen-organ specificity, and general concepts were tested. There was a significant increase in test scores, from 39% to 58% correct in the 8th graders (P < 0.0001), from 47% to 59% among 10th graders (P = 0.0007), and from 80% to 88% (P = 0.049) among the medical students. Responses to control questions unrelated to the game did not improve.


CONCLUSIONS
An interactive trading card format is a useful method for conveying information about host defence.
Steinman
Richard A
RA
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA 15213, USA. steinman@pitt.edu
Blastos
Mary T
MT
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002321:Career Choice; D003479:Curriculum; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005717:Games, Experimental; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male