Video Games that Teach Disease Management
Pfizer recently released a new video game based on Minecraft™ to help teach kids how to manage hemophilia. It is called “HEMOCRAFT™ Infusion Adventure“. Players can craft the components of an infusion kit, track their preparedness for the adventure with a ‘factor bar’ and get ready to slay the Ender Dragon. This is an excellent way to reach kids!
Congratulations to Pfizer for this innovative learning tool and we wish them much success in reaching out to their patient base as well as friends and caregivers who could benefit from learning about hemophilia as well.
Currently the game is only available for use on a PC. Hopefully it will become available for use on tablets and smart phones as well which would amplify their target audience reach.
Pfizer is not the first to develop an online game to try and educate patients and the public about healthcare issues. Here are a few others that are worth looking at, but in my opinion, few seem as fun and alluring to kids as the Hemocraft™ Infusion Adventure:
- VAX! is a game about epidemic prevention.
- Malaria, Mosquito game
- MRI, The Magnetic Miracle
- Skeleton game
- The Blood Typing Game
- Tuberculosis
- The Diabetic Dog Game
I read about a father and son team who are working on a Minecraft mod aimed at educating kids about diabetes type I. That sounds promising as well!
If you tried any of these games or any others, let us know which one you played and what you think of it.