Sjekkdeg.no: A Game-Style Web App for Preventing Sexually Transmitted Diseases
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Abstract
Background
In Norway there are diagnosed more than 20.000 new cases of Chlamydia every year and is it the most common reportable sexually transmitted infection in the country. In the two northernmost counties (Troms and Finnmark) the incidence has previously been nearly twice the Norwegian average. Moreover, in 2011, 68% of reported chlamydia cases were found in persons below 25 years of age.
Objective
To achieve that North Norwegian youngsters become more aware of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and prevent their spread.
Methods
A game-style Web app optimised for desktop computers and mobile phones on sexual health has been developed counting on youngsters’ collaboration for selecting its name, graphic designing, creating original videos and checking the feasibility of the website.
The game-style Webb app sjekkdeg.no consists of an avatar supported intervention, which as a first approach bypasses direct physical appointments but still provides access to reliable medical information available in a virtual space through written lessons and quizzes in the school; videos in the cinema and a STDs symptom checker and for guidance diagnosis in the clinic. In addition to the game aesthetic, gamification techniques have been implemented related to the customization of the avatar, that provides anonymity and lets the user interact with permanent inhabitants in the virtual space (wizard, teacher, and doctor); as well as achievement-based gifts such as new clothes and accessories for the avatar that are unlocked based on triggered events (i.e., read a lesson, make a quiz); and challenges between users on their results on quizzes that can be shared on Facebook and Twitter. Social media sharing buttons allow youngsters to share information in social media, and thus helping the Web app to be disseminated to more people.
Users can reach the Web app equally from a laptop, a tablet computer or a smartphone and recover their own avatar and achievements using a unilink, a unique http address specifically created for the particular user that protects anonymity.
Results
Preliminary results show that since 1st October 2012, 455 visitors from Norway have visited the site (36,7% new visitors); with an average of 20.9 pages/visit and a total time on site of 5:52 minutes. Highest average time spent rates were in main page of cinema (3:20 minutes), school lessons “Can you have sex that you want?â€, “Chlamydia†and “When guys have sex†(2:31; 1:49; and 1:48 minutes respectively); and customization of a female avatar (1:42 minutes).
Conclusions
The game-style Web app sjekkdeg.no is a potentially effective tool to prevent STDs and promote healthier sexual practices among North-Norwegian youngsters, since: a) the game-style could encourage users to explore the website and thereby learn how to avoid STDs and interactivity leads to a longer exposure to the health educational material; b) avatars could give anonymity and freedom to access to sensitive information and at same time could represent an opportunity for changing risky sexual behaviours; c) and the social media could be a valuable resource for sexual health promotion to youngsters, recruiting users and reach more people.
In Norway there are diagnosed more than 20.000 new cases of Chlamydia every year and is it the most common reportable sexually transmitted infection in the country. In the two northernmost counties (Troms and Finnmark) the incidence has previously been nearly twice the Norwegian average. Moreover, in 2011, 68% of reported chlamydia cases were found in persons below 25 years of age.
Objective
To achieve that North Norwegian youngsters become more aware of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and prevent their spread.
Methods
A game-style Web app optimised for desktop computers and mobile phones on sexual health has been developed counting on youngsters’ collaboration for selecting its name, graphic designing, creating original videos and checking the feasibility of the website.
The game-style Webb app sjekkdeg.no consists of an avatar supported intervention, which as a first approach bypasses direct physical appointments but still provides access to reliable medical information available in a virtual space through written lessons and quizzes in the school; videos in the cinema and a STDs symptom checker and for guidance diagnosis in the clinic. In addition to the game aesthetic, gamification techniques have been implemented related to the customization of the avatar, that provides anonymity and lets the user interact with permanent inhabitants in the virtual space (wizard, teacher, and doctor); as well as achievement-based gifts such as new clothes and accessories for the avatar that are unlocked based on triggered events (i.e., read a lesson, make a quiz); and challenges between users on their results on quizzes that can be shared on Facebook and Twitter. Social media sharing buttons allow youngsters to share information in social media, and thus helping the Web app to be disseminated to more people.
Users can reach the Web app equally from a laptop, a tablet computer or a smartphone and recover their own avatar and achievements using a unilink, a unique http address specifically created for the particular user that protects anonymity.
Results
Preliminary results show that since 1st October 2012, 455 visitors from Norway have visited the site (36,7% new visitors); with an average of 20.9 pages/visit and a total time on site of 5:52 minutes. Highest average time spent rates were in main page of cinema (3:20 minutes), school lessons “Can you have sex that you want?â€, “Chlamydia†and “When guys have sex†(2:31; 1:49; and 1:48 minutes respectively); and customization of a female avatar (1:42 minutes).
Conclusions
The game-style Web app sjekkdeg.no is a potentially effective tool to prevent STDs and promote healthier sexual practices among North-Norwegian youngsters, since: a) the game-style could encourage users to explore the website and thereby learn how to avoid STDs and interactivity leads to a longer exposure to the health educational material; b) avatars could give anonymity and freedom to access to sensitive information and at same time could represent an opportunity for changing risky sexual behaviours; c) and the social media could be a valuable resource for sexual health promotion to youngsters, recruiting users and reach more people.
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