ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

Abstract Number: 2445

Development and Usability Testing of an Ipad-Based Psycho-Educational Game for Children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and Their Parents

Jennifer N. Stinson1, Adam M. Huber2, Mark Connelly3, Nadia Luca4, Lynn R. Spiegel5, Argerie Tsimicalis6, Stephanie Luca7, Roberta Berard8, Julie Barsalou9, Sarah Campillo10, Paul Dancey11, Ciarán M. Duffy12, Brian Feldman13, Nicole Johnson4, Patrick McGrath14, Natalie J. Shiff15, Shirley M Tse16, Lori B. Tucker17 and J. Charles Victor18, 1Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada, 2Pediatric rheumatology, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada, 3Psychology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 4Pediatrics/Alberta Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics/University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, 5Rheumatology/Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada, 6McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, 7The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada, 8Children's Hospital of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, 9CHU Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada, 10Rheumatology, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada, 11Health Science Centre, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St Johns, NF, Canada, 12Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario and University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada, 13Division of Rheumatology, The Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, 14IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada, 15Pediatric Rheumatology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, 16Rheumatology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada, 17Rheumatology, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 18University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Meeting: 2015 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Date of first publication: September 29, 2015

Keywords: , , ,

Session Information

Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Title: Pediatric Rheumatology - Clinical and Therapeutic Aspects Posters (ACR): Imaging and Novel Clinical Interventions

Session Type: ACR Poster Session C

Session Time: 9:00AM-11:00AM

Background/Purpose:

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is a common chronic childhood illness that can negatively impact health-related quality of life (HRQL). In younger years, children manage JIA with support from parents and health care providers. However, early childhood engagement as shared care partners can optimize disease management, assist with symptom control, including pain, and hence improve HRQL. This becomes imperative as children move into the adolescent period and are expected to a larger role in the co-management of their JIA. There is evidence to suggest that psycho-educational treatments can improve health outcomes in JIA; however, the uptake of these interventions into routine care has been slow. The vast majority of children and their parents do not receive comprehensive JIA education, disease management and coping skills training. While self-management programs for adolescents and adults with JIA do exist, to our knowledge there are no such programs for children. The aim of this current research study is to develop and assess the usability of a bilingual (English and French) interactive, iPad-based psycho-educational game for 8 to 11 year old children with JIA. The game aims to help children and parents learn disease management and coping skills using gamification mechanics to reduce pain and pain-related activity limitations and improve HRQL.

Methods:

The core game concepts were developed in collaboration with subject matter experts, patient partners, and project investigators. Usability testing of the game is being conducted in 2-3 iterative cycles with patients (8-11 years old) and parents. Participants interact with the game in a step-wise manner and errors and efficiencies of gameplay are observed and documented. Participants also provide feedback through a semi-structured interview. Data are analyzed using content analyses. 

Results:

Stakeholders collaborated to create the core game concept, which entails players battling physical (i.e., pain, stiffness, and fatigue) symptoms and psychological (e.g., worry, sadness) symptoms associated with JIA. Players use appropriate treatment strategies to battle their symptoms throughout an 8-week period of game play. Usability testing has been completed for 5 English-speaking children (average age = 10.4 years; 3 male, 2 female) and 4 parents. Children and parents have responded positively to the game. Suggestions have been minor (e.g., changing specific graphics, adding more animation) and there have been no changes to core game mechanics. Minor errors are related to navigation (e.g., failure to locate functions or follow recommended screen flow) and presentation (e.g., failure to locate and properly act upon desired information).

Conclusion:

Children with JIA may benefit from educational games to teach self-management strategies in order to improve HRQL. A core game concept was developed and overall reception to the game has been positive. Based upon user suggestions, changes to the prototype will be implemented and tested using further iterative cycles. The game will be translated into French. The feasibility and overall effectiveness of the game will be evaluated using a pilot randomized control trial.

Disclosure: J. N. Stinson, None; A. M. Huber, None; M. Connelly, None; N. Luca, None; L. R. Spiegel, None; A. Tsimicalis, None; S. Luca, None; R. Berard, None; J. Barsalou, None; S. Campillo, None; P. Dancey, None; C. M. Duffy, None; B. Feldman, None; N. Johnson, None; P. McGrath, None; N. J. Shiff, None; S. M. Tse, None; L. B. Tucker, None; J. C. Victor, None.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Stinson JN, Huber AM, Connelly M, Luca N, Spiegel LR, Tsimicalis A, Luca S, Berard R, Barsalou J, Campillo S, Dancey P, Duffy CM, Feldman B, Johnson N, McGrath P, Shiff NJ, Tse SM, Tucker LB, Victor JC. Development and Usability Testing of an Ipad-Based Psycho-Educational Game for Children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and Their Parents [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2015; 67 (suppl 10). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/development-and-usability-testing-of-an-ipad-based-psycho-educational-game-for-children-with-juvenile-idiopathic-arthritis-and-their-parents/. Accessed .

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