A gamified approach to burn education among Brazilian youth: The "Burn Game" pilot study.

INTRODUCTION

Burn injuries are a significant global health concern, with an estimated 8.4 million cases annually. Although specific cost data from Brazil are limited, international reports estimate an average burn-related hospitalization cost of USD 88,218. Educational tools for populations are desirable to prevent burn injury. Thus, the authors designed a gamified model to promote burn education and prevention among Brazilian students.

METHODS

The intervention was conducted in four public schools, three High Schools (HS) and one Vocational School (VS). Students first completed a 21-question online pre-test assessing their baseline knowledge. A 20-minute lecture followed, covering burn classification and prevention. Students then participated in an interactive online trivia game (Burn Game) designed to reinforce learning. Finally, they completed the same test as a post-intervention assessment.

RESULTS

A total of 134 students participated (73 from VS, 61 from HS), with a mean age of 18.6 ± 4.9 years; 73.13% were female. Post-test scores improved significantly across the participants, with 132 students showing higher scores. The overall mean score difference was 7.16-points (95% CI: 6.47-7.86; p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed gains in both VS (MD = 6.08; 95% CI: 5.33-6.83) and HS students (MD = 8.46; 95% CI: 7.41-9.51), with HS students showing the greatest improvement.

CONCLUSION

The present study suggests that gamified teaching indeed contributed to significantly increasing students' knowledge about burn prevention and classification.