Virtual Clinic for Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Use of Avatars and Social Networks in Public Health Interventions

Virtual Clinic for Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Use of Avatars and Social Networks in Public Health Interventions The project has developed “sjekkdeg.no”, a gamified web application focused on sexual health targeting North-Norwegian youngsters. Gamification techniques like avatars, achievement-based gifts and social network sharing buttons have been implemented in the site that includes educational content on sexual health and a STDs symptom checker. A total of 6 papers have been published and one more has been submitted. Three of these papers were published during 2013. From the 5 papers, two are level 1 and referenced in PubMED. Dissemination activities in 2013: lectures on sexual health where sjekkdeg was a part of the curricula have been given at Tvibit (http://www.tvibit.net/) in Tromsø and several posters were placed in schools in Finmark. A Facebook campaign has also been conducted during 2013 with visible results with a peak in the number of visits. The following 2 publications have now been submitted in 2014: “Play as a prevention strategy: Using a web app to teach youth about STDs”, Elia GABARRON, Thomas R. SCHOPF, J. Artur SERRANO, Rolf WYNN, submitted to MIE’2014, Istanbul, Turkey, 31.08-03-09, 2014. (submitted) “Can a game-style web app prevent sexually transmitted diseases?”, E Gabarron, T Schopf, L Fernandez-Luque, JA Serrano, ATA’2014, Baltimore, Maryland, USA, May 17-20 2014. (accepted) The game-style Webb app sjekkdeg.no consists of an avatar supported intervention, which as a first approach bypasses direct physical appointments but still provides access to reliable medical information available in a virtual space through written lessons and quizzes in the school; videos in the cinema and a STDs symptom checker and for guidance diagnosis in the clinic. In addition to the game aesthetic, gamification techniques have been implemented related to the customization of the avatar, that provides anonymity and lets the user interact with permanent inhabitants in the virtual space (wizard, teacher, and doctor); as well as achievement-based gifts such as new clothes and accessories for the avatar that are unlocked based on triggered events (i.e., read a lesson, make a quiz); and challenges between users on their results on quizzes that can be shared on Facebook and Twitter. Social media sharing buttons allow youngsters to share information in social media, and thus helping the Web app to be disseminated to more people. Users can reach the Web app equally from a laptop, a tablet computer or a smartphone and recover their own avatar and achievements using a unilink, a unique http address specifically created for the particular user that protects anonymity. The results show that for the entire 2013 the web app had 3670 visits, and only for Norway since October 2012 to December 2013 there were a total of 2.363 visitors (38,6% returning visitors); with an average of 19,12 pages/visit and a total time on site of 4:43 minutes. Highest average time spent rates were in main page of cinema (3:20 minutes), school lessons “Can you have sex that you want?”, “Chlamydia” and “When guys have sex” (2:31; 1:49; and 1:48 minutes respectively); and customization of a female avatar (1:42 minutes). These numbers on site use show the potential interest of visitors on this type of web app, according to the returning rates, average pages visited and time spent on it. The game-style could be encouraging users to explore more the website, having a higher exposure to the health educational material, and thereby learn more on sexual health. The results show that the game-style web app could be useful to encourage users to learn more on sexual health and STDs and thus changing their risky behaviours and preventing sexually transmitted diseases. The project has also produced an invention disclosure report (DOFI). Norway has one of the highest Internet penetration rates in the world (97.2%) and these media are among the most powerful influences in the lives of young people, therefore a virtual clinic on STD accessible on different technological platforms (laptop, smartphone, tablet) can be a good way for educating young people on preventing STDs and especially Chlamydia. This is specially worrying as in Norway there are diagnosed more than 20.000 new cases of Chlamydia every year. In the two northernmost counties (Troms and Finnmark) the incidence has previously been nearly twice the Norwegian average and in 2011, 68% of reported chlamydia cases were found in persons below 25 years of age. With near 2000 website visits per year from Norway there can be a strong impact for the Norwegian Public Health Service, as the game-style Web app sjekkdeg.no shows a potential for STDs prevention and to promote healthier sexual practices among North-Norwegian youngsters: a) the game-style could encourage users to explore the website and thereby learn how to avoid STDs and interactivity leads to a longer exposure to the health educational material; b) avatars could give anonymity in the access to sensitive information and at same time could be an opportunity for avoiding risky sexual behaviours; c) the social media could be a valuable resource for sexual health promotion to youngsters, recruiting users and reach even more people.