Let’s Control Flu: a digital gamification tool to increase vaccination coverage rates (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Influenza is a seasonal threat with pandemic potential. Influenza infection is particularly dangerous for vulnerable individuals, such as children, older individuals, and those with multiple illnesses, especially those with lower socio-economic status. Hence, it is necessary to have appropriate tools to mitigate these risks. Gamification presents an opportunity with immense potential for risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) for influenza for health decision-makers and patient advocacy groups to help inform policy decisions and behaviours. OBJECTIVE A digital and interactive tool was designed using gamification to inform and facilitate Public Health Policy (PHP) decision-making on influenza to increase vaccination coverage rates. Increased coverage rates could help the achievement of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) goal of having 75% of target populations vaccinated against the virus by 2030. METHODS The tool, called “Let’s Control Flu” (LCF), utilises a quantitative approach developed by Kassianos et al, which uses 42 PHP. The LCF tool models the impact of 13 Public Health Policies (PHPs) in pre-determined four target populations and seven health-related outcomes. RESULTS This gamified process helps flu vaccination-related stakeholders understand the impact of any set of PHPs included in the LCF tool in influenza epidemiology until 2031, in different vulnerable population groups for a given country. It was first applied to model the potential impact on the population of Sweden. CONCLUSIONS Gamification in the context of PHPs helps scientifically evidence-based decision-making concerning influenza vaccination coverage for health decision-makers, those interested in patient advocacy, and the societal impact of influenza in general, helping to motivate and clarify both stakeholders and the population as a whole, resulting in increased vaccination coverage for influenza.