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Mary Ann Communale

This session will describe the use of serious games for HIV and their use to (i) decrease stigma, (ii) prevent infection, (iii) improve testing and treatment adherence, (iv) improve basic understanding of the disease and how current medications work, (v) and inform on potential treatments to improve consent for clinical trials. We will present an overview of serious games for HIV and share our experience in designing games for HIV, including interactions with patients and patient advocates that are members of an HIV community advisory board and youth camps for HIV infected/affected youth. HIV is known for its stigma, not only among the general population but also among healthcare providers. Furthermore, "self-stigma" feelings can keep people from getting tested and treated for HIV. Stigma will stifle conversations and information sharing. Serious games can benefit HIV patients on all fronts.

Attendee Benefits

While many games may teach about empathy and sensitivity, we present a worksheet to highlight empathy and sensitivity issues that must be addressed in serious game development when designing a game focused on medical issues. The attendees will share their experiences in designing for stigmatized issues in game development.