Testing an analogue game to promote peer support and person-centredness in education for people with diabetes: A realist evaluation.
Vibeke Stenov, Pil Lindgreen, Ingrid Willaing and 2 others
PMID 33650784WHAT IT FOUND
In group diabetes education, 99% of people with type 2 diabetes reported a good atmosphere while playing a card-based board game, and 96% said they listened to each other.
Unclear rules, text, and time pressure could block dialogue.
Key findings
0199% of people with type 2 diabetes reported a good atmosphere, and 96% said they listened to each other during the game.
0288% of healthcare professionals rated the game at least 5 on a 0 to 10 scale for promoting useful knowledge about each participant's diabetes experience.
0363% of healthcare professionals agreed that playing the game left too little time for other programme activities.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
A researcher involved in developing the game and the healthcare professionals who facilitated the game attended some focus groups, which may have influenced how participants answered. The study mainly measured immediate experiences after playing, and it did not know whether these experiences led to long-term benefits for people with diabetes. The study explored how the game worked in existing diabetes education sessions, so it cannot show that the game caused the reported dialogue or engagement. Some participants found the rules, text and switching between persona and self confusing, and heavy text could exclude people with dyslexia or limited Danish fluency. Time pressure, judgemental comments and facilitators who dominated the discussion could reduce peer dialogue.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the high satisfaction scores as proof that the game improves diabetes self-management. The study measured immediate experiences and dialogue, and long-term benefits were not assessed.