Asthma is an illness that affects a huge population in the United States of America. Many people have had to control the disease since they were born. It is marked by attacks whenever it is cold or when the patient is exposed to various allergens that trigger asthma attacks. They could be in the form of pollen grains, dust, fur from animals and some perfumes. Therefore, patients have to avoid such substances. Most patients are also given inhalers that they use in an emergency so that they are relieved. Therefore, an asthma patient may have to carry an inhaler everywhere so that they are able to deal with an emergency(Karr, 2009).

The game is more of information designed to help patients to identify allergens so that they can always avoid them and guide them on what to do in case of an emergency. The game is designed for patients over the age of 10. It helps every patient who is asthmatic regardless of the stage that they are in. It also gives ways in which they can cope with the illness. The game will give more knowledge on asthma and any new medication that may have been brought into the market. This will enable the patients to have first-hand knowledge on what is new to the market or what is being researched on before it reaches the market. Patients will also be informed on the available options that they have in the management of asthma. In addition to helping them deal with their own illness, it provides them with knowledge on how to help them deal with other patients who may be experiencing problems. This may be useful for the people who are not asthma patients as well.

When a person opens the software, they are first asked whether they are asthmatic or not. If the answer to this is affirmative, then the application will then direct the patient to answer some questions about himself. The aim of this stage is to gather as much information as possible about the patient. Questions that may be asked may include the name of the patient, their age, any medication that they may be taking, the last time they had an attack and the intensity and frequency of the attacks. If a person is not asthmatic, then they are asked what they know about the disease and if there is any close relative affected, and why they are interested in knowing about asthma. From this initial stage, the patient is then asked if they would like to interact with other patient who are within the same area and know about the software. This may be for supportive purposes.

At this point of the game, the person chooses the section that they want to know more about. It may be in the preventive section, medication or even assessment. For every correct answer given, the person accumulates points and is given more access to the database. The main point of the game is for the player to be able to access the full database available. They will also be getting any updates on the game whenever they are available. The game will provide health tips and even natural foods that can be used to prevent asthma or control the symptoms of asthma. The game is likely to be a hit with patients who want to know more about their illness and how they can control it using various means.

References

Karr, J. P. (2009). Community health workers and environmental interventions for children with asthma: a systematic review. New York: Routledge.