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“Testing is Healthy” TimePlay campaign: Evaluation of sexual health promotion gamification intervention targeting young adults

  • Innovations in Policy and Practice
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Canadian Journal of Public Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the study were to 1) describe the implementation of the “Testing is Healthy” campaign in four locations in British Columbia (BC) and 2) report process evaluation indicators for the campaign.

PARTICIPANTS: Young adults ages 20–29 years, the age group with the highest reported rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea in BC.

SETTINGS: Movie theatres located in Langley, Burnaby, Coquitlam and Surrey, which are communities served by the Fraser Health Authority (FHA) in BC.

INTERVENTION: The FHA launched the campaign in 2014 and 2015 to bring down the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV in the region. The campaign used the Cineplex TimePlay platform to engage moviegoers in answering STI/HIV-related questions, and to connect them to a clinic finder on the BC Centre for Disease Control Sex Smart Resource (SSR) website. TimePlay includes elements of gaming, is technology-based, and has been a successful advertisement platform for consumer products and services. However, this is the first time it has been used for sexual health promotion. The campaign was evaluated for 1) reach, based on theatre attendance and TimePlay participation, and 2) the effectiveness of connecting people to sexual health information using SSR web analytics.

OUTCOMES: In total, the campaign received 548 410 views and 77 149 plays. SSR web analytics showed a significant increase in unique page views of the Clinic Finder page between the first and the second campaign.

IMPLICATIONS: The campaign reached a large population at a low cost and was correlated with spikes in the unique page views for the Clinic Finder page.

Résumé

OBJECTIFS: Les objectifs de l’étude étaient: 1) de décrire la mise en œuvre d’une campagne de dépistage, ªTesting is Healthy«, à quatre endroits en Colombie-Britannique et 2) de rendre compte des indicateurs d’évaluation du processus de la campagne.

PARTICIPANTS: De jeunes adultes de 20 à 29 ans, le groupe d’âge ayant les plus forts taux déclarés de chlamydiose et de gonorrhée en Colombie-Britannique.

LIEUX: Des cinémas situés à Langley, Burnaby, Coquitlam et Surrey, quatre communautés servies par la Fraser Health Authority (FHA) dans la province.

INTERVENTION: La FHA a mené cette campagne en 2014 et en 2015 afin de réduire la prévalence des infections transmissibles sexuellement (ITS) et du VIH dans la région. La campagne a utilisé la plateforme TimePlay des cinémas Cineplex pour inviter les spectateurs à répondre à des questions liées aux ITS et au VIH et pour leur donner accès à un outil de recherche de cliniques sur le site Web Sex Smart Resource (SSR) du BC Centre for Disease Control. TimePlay est une plateforme technologique qui inclut des éléments de jeu et qui diffuse avec succès des annonces publicitaires aux consommateurs de produits et de services. C’est cependant la première fois qu’elle était utilisée pour promouvoir la santé sexuelle. Nous avons évalué: 1) la portée de la campagne, d’après la fréquentation des cinémas et la participation à TimePlay, et 2) l’efficacité avec laquelle elle a donné accès aux renseignements de santé sexuelle, d’après l’audience du site Web SSR.

RÉSULTATS: En tout, la campagne a été vue 548 410 fois, et 77 149 personnes ont joué au jeu. Selon l’audience du site Web SSR, il y a eu une hausse importante du nombre de vues uniques de la page de l’outil de recherche de cliniques entre la première et la seconde campagne.

CONSÉQUENCES: La campagne a joint une grande population à un prix abordable et a été corrélée avec des pics du nombre de vues uniques de la page de l’outil de recherche de cliniques.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Qinya Zhang MPH

  2. Fraser Health Authority, Surrey, BC, Canada

    Kim J. Huhn BA, Rachel E. Douglas MPH, Helen Guiyun Li MD, MPH, Michelle Murti MD, MPH & Victoria Lee MD, MPH

  3. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

    Andy Tan PhD, MBBS

Authors
  1. Qinya Zhang MPH
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  2. Kim J. Huhn BA
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  3. Andy Tan PhD, MBBS
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  4. Rachel E. Douglas MPH
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  5. Helen Guiyun Li MD, MPH
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  6. Michelle Murti MD, MPH
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  7. Victoria Lee MD, MPH
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Correspondence to Qinya Zhang MPH.

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Zhang, Q., Huhn, K.J., Tan, A. et al. “Testing is Healthy” TimePlay campaign: Evaluation of sexual health promotion gamification intervention targeting young adults. Can J Public Health 108, e85–e90 (2017). https://doi.org/10.17269/CJPH.108.5634

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.17269/CJPH.108.5634

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