3.7 million people under age 18 are affected by asthma and must learn to self-manage their condition in order to avoid potentially life-threatening situations. The widespread availability of home-based video game systems creates a channel for teaching asthma self-management skills to children. A fun and motivating educational intervention could equip children with the knowledge and self-management skills needed to reduce the frequency and severity of asthma episodes and use of emergency services. Raya Systems develops health education video games and has completed development of an asthma education game using its own funds. The player assumes the ole of an appealing character who has asthma, and must avoid common asthma triggers and learn self-management skills such as taking medication, resting, drinking fluids, and calling for help. The investigators propose to evaluate the effects of the game on children's knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in a respiratory clinic in a children's hospital, using a pre-test/post-test counterbalanced design. The investigators will use the results of the evaluation to revise game as needed. In phase II they will create a commercially viable video game for children and families affected by asthma, and will test its effectiveness in a summative evaluation.
