The Use of Digital Games for Educating Patients with Diabetes: A Systematic Review

Today, video games have more usage than just having fun. In the health industry, the use of these games can help or even replace traditional treatments. Given the prevalence of diabetes as a chronic disease globally, the purpose of this study was to find whether the use of digital games as an educational and assistive tool for diabetics can be somewhat effective in controlling this disease?

In order to conduct this study, several databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar were searched using ‘diabetes, games, digital games, serious games, and video games’ as keywords. Finally, the results were evaluated based on the set criteria.

In the first step, a total of 376 articles were identified. Among the 25 articles that included inclusion criteria (such as diabetes and digital games), they compiled a sample of 33 digital games, and among them (17 out of 33), 51.51% were for children. In addition, most of the games (16 out of 33), 48.48% were for type-1 diabetes, and 32 out of 33 games (96.96%) were based on mobile phones.

Digital games can be used as a tool for the education and self-care of diabetic patients. According to the study results, these games can be effective in the management of diabetes, diet, self-care, physical activity, and blood glucose control