A recent study from the American Journal of Preventative Medicine examined the effects of gaming on health outcomes, and video games improved 69% of psychological therapy outcomes, 59% of physical therapy outcomes, 50% of physical activity outcomes, 46% of clinician skills outcomes, 42% of health education outcomes, 42% of pain distraction outcomes, and 37% of disease self-management outcomes.
Health literacy is how a patient can understand and act on health information. Low health literacy affects over 90 million people in the United States. It is a crisis of understanding medical information more than a problem of access to information. Patients and families who struggle to understand health information have a difficult time following medical recommendations and are at greater risk for health problems — which, in turn, has a negative effect on health outcomes and the entire health care system.
Health information can confuse anyone. mHealth Games helps patients and caregivers better understand and act on health information.