Video games and participation in health - How online games can foster population’s participation in public health policies

This paper discusses the use of video games for public health communication, as a means of presenting health content in attractive formats, fostering an active stance in seeking such content and enhancing population's social participation. In order to do that, we analyze the concepts of serious games, procedural rhetoric and games as participatory media culture. A subsequent empirical step consisted of interviews with 22 video game players, from which we draw conclusions about games' potential to communicate health themes, illustrate collective health issues and enhance population's participation in public health policies.