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. 2020 Aug 19;8(3):e16655.
doi: 10.2196/16655.

A Serious Game on the First-Aid Procedure in Choking Scenarios: Design and Evaluation Study

Imma Boada  1 , Antonio Rodriguez Benitez  1 , Santiago Thió-Henestrosa  1 , Josep Soler #  1
Affiliations

A Serious Game on the First-Aid Procedure in Choking Scenarios: Design and Evaluation Study

Imma Boada et al. JMIR Serious Games. .

Abstract

Background: Choking is one of the causes of unintentional injury death. Gaining the knowledge of the first-aid procedure that has to be applied in case of choking can increase the chances of survival of persons with choking. Serious games can be a good channel for educating people about choking scenarios and the actions to be taken to save the persons with choking.

Objective: The objective of this study is to present and evaluate the effectiveness of a serious game designed to prevent choking and to promote the first-aid procedure that needs to be applied in case of choking.

Methods: In this study, we present a serious game as a set of minigames that reproduces the main steps of the protocol for the first-aid performed in choking. In the proposed game, the player acquires the role of a helper who has to save the person in a choking emergency by applying the main steps of the protocol. Time and score restrictions are imposed to pass each minigame. To test this game, we performed a pilot study with 48 high school students. Different tests were performed to assess the students' preferences and their knowledge on choking before and after playing the proposed game. The obtained results were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test when a grade variable was involved and by using Fisher exact test when 2 categorical variables were involved.

Results: The findings of our study showed that the players enjoyed the game. No statistical differences were detected when considering the gender of the player, their preferences for video games, or their previous experience in choking emergencies. By comparing the knowledge of these students before and after playing the game, we found that all the indicators of the knowledge about how to act in case of a choking emergency were improved through this serious game.

Conclusions: The findings of our study show that the proposed game is a good strategy for promoting and teaching first-aid procedures in choking emergencies to nonexperts in this field.

Keywords: choking; first-aid education; first-aid procedure; prevention.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Main steps of the first-aid procedure that has to be applied in a choking emergency. The numbers in the boxes indicate the relationship of the minigames 3, 4, 5, and 6 with the procedure steps. AED: automated external defibrillator.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Some of the items of the choking prevention minigame, wherein player actions vary according to the type of item.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Choking prevention minigame. A. Avoid small and dangerous objects. B. Keep food pieces small. C. Do not move while eating. D and E. Identify choking persons minigame. F and G. Ask for response minigame. H. Identify choking symptoms minigame. I and J. Ask for help minigame. K. The icons representing breath status (no breath-breath with difficulties-normal breath) and choking symptoms (no breath-cough-cry).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Icons representing different hand positions.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Choking maneuver screens corresponding to the different parts of the minigame. A-E. Back blows and abdominal thrusts. B, F, G, H, J. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. I. Remove the object. K. Rescue breaths.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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