title: Serious games for improving knowledge and self-management in young people with chronic conditions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials assessing the effectiveness of serious games in improving knowledge and/or self-management behaviors in young people with chronic conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors searched the databases PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Sciences, and PsychINFO for articles published between January 1990 and January 2014. Reference lists were hand-searched to retrieve additional studies. Randomized controlled trials that compared a digital game with either standard education or no specific education in a population of children and/or adolescents with chronic conditions were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The authors identified 9 studies in which the effectiveness of serious games in young people with chronic conditions was evaluated using a randomized controlled trials design. Six studies found a significant improvement of knowledge in the game group from pretest to posttest; 4 studies showed significantly better knowledge in the game group than in the control group after the intervention. Two studies reported significantly better self-management in the game group than in the control group after the intervention. Seven studies were included in the meta-analysis. For knowledge, pooled estimate of Hedges' gu was 0.361 (95% confidence intervals, 0.098-0.624), demonstrating that serious games improve knowledge in patients. For self-management, pooled estimate of Hedges' gu was 0.310 (95% confidence intervals, 0.122-0.497), showing that gaming improves self-management behaviors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors' meta-analysis shows that educational video games can be effective in improving knowledge and self-management in young people with chronic conditions.
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Charlier
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Nele
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zupancic
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Interuniversity Center for Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fieuws
authors.affiliation: Independent Statistical Consultant, Huldenberg, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kris
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Denhaerynck
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Centre for User Experience Research (CUO) - IBBT Future Health Department, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bieke
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zaman
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leuven, Belgium Copenhagen University Hospital, Heart Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark University of Gothenburg, Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Gothenburg, Sweden philip.moons@kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moons
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000628:therapy; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D012648:Self Care; D018910:Video Games
keywords: children; chronic conditions; knowledge; self-management; serious games