78 Empowering Patients with Congenital Heart Disease: Insights into Serious Video Game Preferences

Abstract

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Serious video games are designed for skill-building and are increasingly being used for healthcare interventions with adolescents and young adults (AYAs). The study goal was to identify AYAs’ preferred game features, by demographic groups, to inform the development of a game to improve AYA’s engagement in their congenital heart disease (CHD) care. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Pediatric patients, 12-18 years old, completed surveys at a routine CHD care visit. Participants rated their likelihood of using games to learn CHD management skills (5-point Likert) and preferences for ten game features commonly used, such as: personalization (make your own avatar) and levels (unlock new, advanced stages as you do better). Participants selected one of three response options: 1=would make me less interested in the game, 2=doesn’t matter, 3=would make me more interested in the game. Descriptives and frequencies assessed interest in different game features. Chi-square tests were used to identify potential differences in game feature preferences by gender identity, age group (early/mid-adolescence vs. late adolescence), and race and ethnicity. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Of 83 participants who completed surveys, the mean age was 15 years old (12-18; SD=1.73), 55% were male, 79% were Non-Hispanic White, and 70% were interested in video games for gaining CHD management skills. The top-rated game features were: levels (78%; unlock advanced stages), conflict (74%; face challenges), personalization (70%; create avatar), and story (70%; journey-based). The three lowest-ranked features were: time (29%; restricted time to complete challenge), competition (47%; score/play against others), strategy (53%; plan to reach goal). No significant differences in game feature preferences were found by demographic characteristics. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Most AYAs with CHD were interested in games, offering a promising avenue for future healthcare interventions. Given no significantly different preferences by demographics, the game may not require tailoring game features for certain groups. However, additional research with diverse participants is needed to fully inform game development.