Gamified Approach To Burn Education

N/ANot Yet RecruitingNCT07404501

University of Sao Paulo General Hospital44 enrolled

Overview

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether different educational strategies can improve knowledge acquisition regarding burn prevention and first aid among students enrolled in a community-based preparatory course. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does participation in a serious digital game improve knowledge about burn prevention and first aid compared with a traditional lecture? Researchers will compare a serious digital game with a face-to-face educational lecture to determine differences in knowledge acquisition and participant satisfaction between the two educational approaches. Participants will: Receive a brief (5 minutes) standardized introductory explanation about basic concepts of burns; Be randomized to participate in either a serious digital game or a face-to-face educational lecture; Complete knowledge assessment questionnaires prior to and after the intervention; Complete a satisfaction questionnaire; Attend a follow-up assessment two weeks after the intervention.

This study is a randomized, single-blind, behavioral and educational intervention with two parallel arms designed to evaluate different educational strategies for burn prevention and first aid. All participants will initially receive a brief (5 minutes) standardized introductory session covering basic concepts related to burns, including definition, common causes, prevention strategies, and first-aid measures. This introductory explanation is intended to ensure that all participants have a minimum and uniform baseline understanding of the topic prior to the intervention. After this initial session, participants will be randomly allocated to one of two intervention groups. Participants allocated to the serious digital game group will receive a 5-minute familiarization period with the digital platform, followed by 25 minutes of gameplay. The serious game presents educational content and questions related to burn prevention and first aid through virtual avatars, requiring participants to consult in-game educational materials before answering questions. Performance is recorded automatically by the game system. Participants allocated to the face-to-face educational lecture group will attend an in-person lecture lasting approximately 30 minutes. The lecture will address types of burns, etiology, prevention measures, and basic first-aid management in primary health care. Knowledge acquisition will be assessed using structured multiple-choice questionnaires administered prior to and after the intervention. Participant satisfaction will also be evaluated using a Likert-scale questionnaire. A follow-up assessment will be conducted two weeks after the intervention to evaluate knowledge retention. Outcome assessment will be performed by an evaluator blinded to group allocation. Sociodemographic variables, including age, sex, and socioeconomic status, will be collected.

Interventions

Serious Digital Game for Burn Prevention and First AidBEHAVIORAL

The intervention consists of a serious digital game designed to provide education on burn prevention and first aid. The game delivers educational content through an interactive virtual environment in which participants engage with avatars that present questions and learning challenges related to burns. Participants are required to consult in-game educational materials before responding to each question. Performance metrics, including response accuracy and time to answer, are recorded automatically by the system to generate an overall score - which is not an endpoint of this study, since the control group does not have access to the game. The intervention is intended to promote active learning and knowledge acquisition through interactive and gamified educational strategies.

Face-to-Face Educational Lecture on Burn Prevention and First AidBEHAVIORAL

The intervention consists of an in-person 30-minute educational lecture focused on burn prevention and first aid. The lecture is designed to deliver structured educational content in a didactic format, covering key topics related to burns, including common causes, prevention strategies, and basic first-aid measures. The session is conducted by a trained instructor and aims to provide participants with foundational knowledge through direct instruction, without the use of interactive gaming components.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Students regularly enrolled in the MedEnsina preparatory course * Ability to understand the instructions and the content of the proposed educational activities * Availability to participate in the intervention on the first day of the study and to attend the two-week follow-up * Signed informed consent form and, when applicable, assent form Exclusion Criteria: * Failure to attend the intervention on the first day of the study * Failure to attend the follow-up assessment two weeks after the intervention * Incomplete completion of the pre- or post-intervention questionnaires * Withdrawal of consent at any stage of the study * Any condition that, in the investigators' judgment, may impair adequate participation or understanding of the educational activities

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in Knowledge Scores on Burn Prevention and First Aid After the Educational Interventions

The primary outcome is knowledge acquisition related to burn prevention and first aid. Knowledge will be assessed using a structured multiple-choice questionnaire administered immediately before and immediately after the educational intervention. The questionnaire will be delivered through the Google Forms platform and consists of 20 multiple-choice questions, each with four response options, covering basic concepts of burns, prevention strategies, and first-aid measures. Each correct answer contributes to the total knowledge score, with higher scores indicating greater knowledge. The primary outcome will be expressed as the change in knowledge score from baseline to immediately after the intervention and will be compared between the two educational groups.

Time frame: From baseline to immediately post-intervention

Secondary Outcomes

Knowledge Retention Scores After the Educational Interventions

Knowledge retention related to burn prevention and first aid will be assessed using the same structured multiple-choice questionnaire applied during the initial evaluation. The questionnaire will be administered online using Google Forms and consists of 20 multiple-choice questions, each with four response options, covering basic concepts of burns, prevention strategies, and first-aid measures. It will be administered again approximately two weeks after the educational intervention to evaluate the extent to which the information learned was retained over time. The total score obtained at the follow-up assessment will be compared with baseline and immediate post-intervention scores. Higher scores indicate greater retention of knowledge.

Time frame: From baseline to 2 weeks post-intervention