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On the Need for Developmental Perspectives in Research on the Potential Positive and Negative Health Effects of Digital Games

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Mobile e-Health

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Abstract

As digital games become increasingly ubiquitous via mobile applications and other widely-used media platforms, game-based health applications and mobile health monitoring technologies are promising tools for eHealth and mHealth. Given the importance of older people as an audience for eHealth and mHealth applications, it is problematic that much research on users and effects of digital games largely neglects developmental approaches and variables. This chapter reviews research on effects of digital games, particularly the health effects of digital games on older people, and suggests how more focus on developmental approaches could guide research on health applications of digital games and game-based eHealth and mHealth tools for older populations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Communication, Virginia Tech, 108 Shanks Hall (Mail Code: 0311), 181 Turner Street NW, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA

    Adrienne Holz Ivory & James D. Ivory

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  1. Adrienne Holz Ivory
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  2. James D. Ivory
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Correspondence to Adrienne Holz Ivory .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Health & Wellbeing Priority Research Area, School of Health, Wellbeing & Social Care, Faculty of Wellbeing, Education & Language Studies, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom

    Hannah R. Marston

  2. School of Nursing, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada

    Shannon Freeman

  3. Centre for Innovative Ageing, School of Human and Health Sciences, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom

    Charles Musselwhite

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Ivory, A.H., Ivory, J.D. (2017). On the Need for Developmental Perspectives in Research on the Potential Positive and Negative Health Effects of Digital Games. In: Marston, H., Freeman, S., Musselwhite, C. (eds) Mobile e-Health. Human–Computer Interaction Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60672-9_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60672-9_9

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