Exploring the use of games in palliative care: A scoping review

Digitisation of patient preferences in palliative care: mobile app prototype

BACKGROUND

Engaging in advance care planning can be emotionally challenging, but gamification and technology are suggested as a potential solution.

OBJECTIVE

Present the development stages of a mobile app prototype to improve quality of life for patients in palliative care.

DESIGN

The study started with a comprehensive literature review to establish a foundation. Subsequently, interviews were conducted to validate the proposed features of the mobile application. Following the development phase, usability tests were conducted to evaluate the overall usability of the mobile application. Furthermore, an oral questionnaire was administered to understand user satisfaction about the implemented features.

RESULTS

A three-phase testing approach was employed based on the chosen user-centred design methodology to obtain the results. Three iterations were conducted, with improvements being made based on feedback and tested in subsequent phases. Despite the added complexity arising from the health status of patients in palliative care, the usability tests and implemented features received positive feedback from both patients and healthcare providers.

CONCLUSION

The research findings have demonstrated the potential of digitisation in enhancing the quality of life for patients in palliative care. This was achieved through the implementation of patient-centred design, personalised care, the inclusion of social chatrooms and facilitating end-of-life discussions.

"I was never one of those people who just jumped right in for me": patient perspectives on self-advocacy training for women with advanced cancer

PURPOSE

Patients with advanced cancer experience many complicated situations that can make self-advocacy (defined as the ability speak up for yourself in the face of a challenge) difficult. Few self-advocacy interventions exist, and most are atheoretical with minimal patient engagement. The purpose of this study is to describe participant perspectives of a novel, self-advocacy serious game intervention called Strong Together.

METHODS

This was a qualitative cross-sectional descriptive study among women receiving cancer care at an academic cancer center within 3 months of an advanced gynecologic or breast cancer diagnosis. Participants randomized to receive the intervention completed one-on-one semi-structured interviews 3-months post Strong Together and had the option to share voice journals about their experiences. Inductive qualitative approaches were used to descriptively analyze transcripts and voice journals. Descriptive content analysis approaches were used to group similar codes together into themes summarizing participants' experiences engaging with the Strong Together intervention.

RESULTS

Participants (N = 40) reported that the Strong Together intervention was acceptable, noting that it was realistic and reflective of their personal experiences. Overarching themes included seeing myself in most scenarios and wanting more content; giving me the go ahead to expect more; offering ideas for how to stand up for myself; reinforcing what I am already doing; and reminding me of what I have. Participants suggested adding additional content including diverse characters.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that women with advanced cancer were receptive to a self-advocacy skills-building intervention. Future research should explore the mechanisms linking serious games to learning and health outcomes.

The Outline of Communal ‘Ars Moriendi’ in Egalitarian Transhumanism

This paper outlines the proposal for an egalitarian, transhumanist, and communal version of ars moriendi that should be coherent and meet the consequentialist criteria of the principle of minimizing anti-values and maximizing values, especially the ethical values of freedom and happiness. Transhuman-ist augmented dying (AD) refers to the extended body-mind, free from harmful religious and political ideologies. At present, a feasible art of dying can be systematically supported by anesthetics and psy-chedelics (entheogens), computer games, virtual reality, and good death machines. Its egalitarian form requires a deeply democratic society, and its progress may need a transition to a type 1 society on the Kardashev scale.