ReviewHealthcare (Basel, Switzerland)2026
Game-Based Interventions for Health Promotion in Older Adults: A Systematic Review of Protocols and ICF-Based Outcomes.
Review in Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
BACKGROUND/
objectivesHealth promotion programs are essential for older adults, and game-based interventions have emerged as promising health-promotion approaches. This systematic review aimed to synthesize and characterize game-based intervention protocols and their effects on health promotion in older adults.
methodsRandomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies published between January 2014 and 31 May 2026, in English or Portuguese, with participants aged 60 years or older, were analyzed. Methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute tools. Health outcomes were classified according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) domains. The PRISMA methodology was followed.
resultsTwenty-nine studies were included, presenting methodological variability across several JBI domains. Health-related outcomes were identified across multiple ICF domains. Outcomes related to learning and health management showed statistically significant findings more frequently, whereas physical and cognitive outcomes were generally more heterogeneous. Long-term evidence remains limited.
conclusionsGame-based interventions appear to support health promotion in older adults across multiple domains of functioning. The findings suggest that differences in intervention structure, delivery format, and contextual characteristics may contribute to variability in reported outcomes. However, the heterogeneity of game-based interventions and outcome measures limits direct comparison across studies. Further research is needed to validate long-term effects and condition-specific applications.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.