Gamification-Based Interventions for Treatment Adherence and Self-Management in Pediatric Chronic Diseases: A Scoping...

Chronic diseases in children require long-term management and affect physical, psychological, and social well-being. Treatment adherence and self-management skills in children remain a challenge, particularly in conditions such as thalassemia, which require lifelong treatment. Innovative approaches such as gamification are being developed to improve children's engagement and health behaviors, but their application in thalassemia remains limited. This study aimed to map gamification-based interventions addressing treatment adherence and self-management in children with chronic diseases and identify their implications for thalassemia. This scoping review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A literature search was conducted in five databases (PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Sage Journals, and MEDLINE) covering the years 2016-2026. Article selection followed the PCC framework (Population: children with chronic diseases; Concept: gamification-based interventions for treatment adherence and self-management; Context: pediatric chronic disease management). A total of 16 studies involving children with various chronic diseases were included. Interventions included gamified mobile applications, serious games, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and digital therapeutic platforms. Across the included studies, treatment adherence and self-management were the most frequently reported outcomes, followed by improvements in disease-related knowledge, technical skills, engagement, and health literacy. Several studies also reported improvements in selected clinical indicators. However, substantial heterogeneity in intervention design, outcomes, and follow-up duration limited comparisons across studies. Evidence specific to thalassemia was limited to one study, which reported improvements in health literacy, self-management, and decision-making. The mapped evidence suggests that gamification-based interventions may support treatment adherence and self-management in children with chronic diseases. Thalassemia appears to be a promising target for future digital health intervention development. However, further theory-based studies with robust designs and longer follow-up are needed.