Young People's Knowledge of Antibiotics and Vaccinations and Increasing This Knowledge Through Gaming: Mixed-Methods...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Educational Technology
• Infectious Disease Prevention

Background:

• e-Bug is a Public Health England initiative educating youth on microbes, infection prevention, and antibiotics.
• Two new e-Bug games, Body Busters and Stop the Spread, were developed to enhance learning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess students' baseline knowledge on health topics.
• To evaluate students' perceptions and engagement with the e-Bug games.
• To measure knowledge enhancement following game-based learning.

Main Methods:

• Students from 5 UK educational settings played two e-Bug games.
• Pre- and post-game questionnaires assessed knowledge and attitudes.
• Student focus groups were conducted to gather qualitative feedback.

Main Results:

• Significant knowledge gains were observed in antibiotic use, vaccination, and hygiene behaviors.
• Body Busters was rated as engaging and enjoyable.
• Stop the Spread, though challenging, increased intentions for vaccination and health behaviors.

Conclusions:

• e-Bug games serve as effective tools for improving student knowledge in critical health areas.
• The games enhance understanding of microbes, infection control, and responsible antibiotic use.
• Incorporating student feedback can further optimize game engagement and learning outcomes.