We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




New Gaming App Helps Smokers Kick the Habit

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 18 Jan 2017
Print article
Image: A new smartphone app helps smokers quit (photo courtesy of KTU/QMUL).
Image: A new smartphone app helps smokers quit (photo courtesy of KTU/QMUL).
A novel smartphone application helps smokers combat cigarette cravings and quit smoking by playing behavioral changing games.

Developed by researchers at Kingston University London and Queen Mary, University of London, the Cigbreak Free app incorporates a combination of 37 theory-based methods for changing behavior as selected by psychologists to help smokers quit. In the game, players have to swipe a certain number of cigarettes to break them within a time limit. There are also mini-games where players have to clear smoke from a room to reveal a health message.

As in regular smartphone games, players have to complete tasks to progress through levels, gaining rewards and gold stars along the way as a form of providing smokers with instant positive feedback. As well as progressing through levels, the app includes a quit journal where users can calculate how much money they are saving. The app has been commissioned for use by five London boroughs as part of their public health smoking cessation services; local residents can download it, enter their postcode and use the app for free.

“Craving is a short-term thing, so if you get a craving at 11am, you can play the game in the warm until it passes, rather than going out into the cold for a cigarette. You’ve also got something to do with your hands other than smoke,” said app co-developer Hope Caton, of the KUL school of computer science and mathematics. “The good thing about a smartphone gaming app is that you can play it anywhere. We’ve had people smoking 25 cigarettes a day quit, some who’ve gone from 25 to four. It shows it can be effective.”

“Some of the health messages and behavior change techniques we have used in the game are based on our previous research, and include showing players the health consequences of a behavior, gaining points for grabbing healthy items, or providing virtual financial incentives,” added app co-developer Professor Robert Walton, MD, of QMUL. “We’re essentially trying to ‘gamify’ these messages and techniques as a way of embedding them in a person’s mind, in the hope that they will then be able to quit smoking.”

Gold Member
POC Blood Gas Analyzer
Stat Profile Prime Plus
Gold Member
Disposable Protective Suit For Medical Use
Disposable Protective Suit For Medical Use
Silver Member
Compact 14-Day Uninterrupted Holter ECG
NR-314P
New
Ultrasound Software
UltraExtend NX

Print article

Channels

Critical Care

view channel
Image: Researchers have developed a novel risk score for cardiovascular complications after bone marrow transplant (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Novel Tool Predicts Cardiovascular Risks after Bone Marrow Transplantation

Every year, thousands of people undergo bone marrow transplants to potentially cure serious diseases like leukemia, lymphoma, and immune deficiency disorders. While these transplants can be lifesaving,... Read more

Surgical Techniques

view channel
Image: The Early Bird Bleed Monitoring System provides visual and audible indicators of the onset and progression of bleeding events (Photo courtesy of Saranas)

Novel Technology Monitors and Lowers Bleeding Complications in Patients Undergoing Heart Procedures

Bleeding complications at the femoral access site can significantly hamper recovery, affecting the success of procedures, patient satisfaction, and overall healthcare costs. It is crucial for surgeons... Read more

Patient Care

view channel
Image: The newly-launched solution can transform operating room scheduling and boost utilization rates (Photo courtesy of Fujitsu)

Surgical Capacity Optimization Solution Helps Hospitals Boost OR Utilization

An innovative solution has the capability to transform surgical capacity utilization by targeting the root cause of surgical block time inefficiencies. Fujitsu Limited’s (Tokyo, Japan) Surgical Capacity... Read more

Point of Care

view channel
Image: The new eye-safe laser technology can diagnose traumatic brain injury (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Novel Diagnostic Hand-Held Device Detects Known Biomarkers for Traumatic Brain Injury

The growing need for prompt and efficient diagnosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI), a major cause of mortality globally, has spurred the development of innovative diagnostic technologies.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.