Researchers at UNC and Duke have improved HIV care by gamifying it with a mobile gaming application. The study was co-led by Lisa Hightow-Weidman, MD, MPH, professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases, and Kate Meussig, PhD, at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.
Gaming features – like those used to drive airline loyalty and track daily steps — helped young men living with HIV achieve viral suppression and doubled their chances for reaching near perfect adherence to medication plans, according to a study in AIDS and Behavior.
Gamification can inspire changes in behavior when a doctor’s advice or a patient’s good intentions are not enough. In this case, motivating those living with HIV to stick to the antiretroviral therapy (ART) that can keep them healthy by suppressing the HIV virus.
Read more in the UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine Newsroom.