Increasing Vaccination Awareness for Italian Primary Care Pediatricians: Game Design and Usability Study

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Vaccinology
• Digital Health

Background:

• Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) poses significant mortality and morbidity risks.
• Serogroup B meningococcal disease (MenB) is the leading cause of IMD in Europe, including Italy.
• Low MenB vaccine uptake in Italy necessitates improved educational strategies for healthcare providers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of Meningioca, a digital educational tool, in enhancing pediatricians' knowledge of MenB vaccination.
• To support primary care pediatricians (PCPs) in communicating the importance and optimal timing of MenB vaccination to parents.

Main Methods:

• Meningioca, developed using Articulate and hosted on TalentLMS, features 7 modules simulating PCP-parent interactions across different age groups.
• Italian PCPs were invited to play the game, providing feedback on enjoyment, difficulty, and educational value.
• Data collected included participant numbers, module completion, learning hours, and user ratings.

Main Results:

• 471 PCPs engaged with Meningioca, completing 1206 modules and 482 learning hours.
• The tool received a high average rating of 4.4/5, with 75% finding it effective for knowledge reinforcement.
• Participants favored "Communicating with the parent" and "health checks" modules, indicating perceived relevance.

Conclusions:

• Meningioca demonstrates potential as an engaging and effective learning tool for PCPs.
• The digital game may contribute to increased MenB vaccination knowledge and improved communication strategies.
• Further adoption of Meningioca could support efforts to reach national MenB vaccination targets.