评估桌面游戏对改变小学生对家庭医生服务的知识、态度和自我效能信念的有效性

Objectives: This one-group pretest-posttest study evaluated the effect of a tabletop game-based intervention on elementary school student's knowledge and understanding of family medicine, attitudes toward family care, and self-efficacy in decision making to utilize family physician services, and to examine whether the effects differed by grade levels, area of residence, and prior knowledge. Methods: A questionnaire (pretest) was administered to an experimental group comprising of fourth to sixth grade students (n = 479) recruited throughout Taiwan to assess preexisting knowledge of family practice, attitudes towards family physicians, and the confidence in their ability to utilize family physician services. The same questionnaire (posttest) was administered to the students after playing a tabletop game (intervention) named Healthy Tales, which was developed by a group of health experts and creative educators with the intent to promote family physician-seeking behaviors through educating, reinforcing, and providing fun. Results: Usage of Healthy Tales was associated with statistically significant increases in the knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy beliefs toward family physician services. Results from the post hoc test indicated a greater effect of the game on outcome variables as students' grade level decreased as well as in students with less knowledge of family medicine. Conclusions: The tabletop game is shown to be effective in increasing knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy beliefs among elementary school students in the study. Educators and parents may consider using Healthy Tales to promote understanding of family medicine, persuade students the value of family care, and finally, to encourage students to utilize family physician services.