A video game increasing cancer risk perception and information seeking behavior among young-adult college students
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN15789289 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN15789289 |
| Secondary identifying numbers | SBSIRB4555 |
- Submission date
- 06/06/2015
- Registration date
- 11/06/2015
- Last edited
- 01/08/2016
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Cancer
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Some lifestyle behaviours, such as smoking, drinking alcohol and unhealthy eating are learned during adolescence and increase drastically as the child develops into a young adult. By encouraging them to seek information about the disease, young adults may become more aware of cancer risks and what preventative measures they can take. Video games for health have advanced, becoming successful innovative tools used for health promotion and disease prevention. Here, we want to look at the impact of a video game called "Re-Mission" on young adult college students' tendency to perceive the severity of cancer, feel susceptible to cancer, and seek cancer-related information.
Who can participate?
Adults aged 18-40, attending college and happy to play video games.
What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated into one of three groups. Those in group 1 play at game at the high challenge level. Those in group 2 play the same game at the low challenge level. Those in group 3 are given illustrated pictures of the game, which involves no challenge. Participants are asked to report on their information-seeking behaviour at the start of the study and then 10 days later. They are also asked about their perception of cancer and how susceptible they feel to cancer.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Not provided at time of registration
Where is the study run from?
University at Buffalo, the State University of New York (USA)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
August 2011 to July 2013
Who is funding the study?
Investigator initiated and funded (USA)
Who is the main contact?
Dr Georges Khalil
Contact information
Scientific
1155 Pressler St. Unit CPB3.3248
Houston
77030
United States of America
 ORCID ID |
0000-0003-2870-2365 |
|---|
Study information
| Study design | Three-arm randomized controlled (Time × Condition) factorial design |
|---|---|
| Primary study design | Interventional |
| Secondary study design | Randomised controlled trial |
| Study setting(s) | School |
| Study type | Prevention |
| Participant information sheet | Not available in web format, please use contact details to request a participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | A video game promoting cancer risk perception and information seeking behavior among young-adult college students: a phase II randomized controlled trial |
| Study acronym | The Re-Mission Trial II |
| Study objectives | Young adults playing Re-Mission at high challenge are more likely to perceive cancer risk and seek cancer-related information than young adults playing at low or no challenge. Cancer risk perception mediates the relationship between the intervention and information seeking behavior. |
| Ethics approval(s) | Social and Behavioral Science Institutional Review Board of the University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, ref: SBSIRB 4555 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Cancer prevention |
| Intervention | The intervention being studied is a video game called "Re-Mission"TM (HopeLab, Redwood City, CA). The study involved 3 conditions: 1. An intervention group playing Re-Mission at high challenge (n=85) 2. An intervention group playing Re-Mission at low challenge (n=81) 3. A control group of no challenge (n=50), presented with illustrated pictures of Re-Mission As opposed to low challenge, high challenge was conceptualized as a condition that arises from a set of obstacles that prevent the players from attaining their goals in the game. |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure | Information-seeking behavior. It was measured through self-report using a validated scale at baseline and at 10-day follow up. |
| Secondary outcome measures | Perceived severity of cancer and perceived susceptibility to cancer. They were measured through self-report using validated scales at baseline and immediate post-test. |
| Overall study start date | 05/08/2011 |
| Completion date | 26/07/2013 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Healthy volunteer |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Lower age limit | 18 Years |
| Sex | Both |
| Target number of participants | 220 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Aged 18–40 years 2. Attending college 3. Consenting to play video games |
| Key exclusion criteria | Having a medical or mental condition that hindered the ability to play games or complete questionnaires |
| Date of first enrolment | 01/09/2011 |
| Date of final enrolment | 20/12/2012 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- United States of America
Study participating centre
-
United States of America
Sponsor information
University/education
12 Capen Hall
Buffalo
14260
United States of America
"ROR" |
https://ror.org/01y64my43 |
|---|
Funders
Funder type
Other
No information available
Results and Publications
| Intention to publish date | |
|---|---|
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | Yes |
| IPD sharing plan summary | Available on request |
| Publication and dissemination plan | The plan is to have the evaluation findings published before the end of 2015. |
| IPD sharing plan |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results article | results | 28/07/2016 | Yes | No |
Editorial Notes
01/08/2016: Publication reference added.
