The Heart Game (Hjertespillet)

HjerteSpillet Ikon

About the project

Patients with heart failure have a chronic and progressive disease, characterized by symptoms such as swollen legs, fatigue and shortness of breath, which worsen quickly and can thus lead to a high degree of readmissions. Only a few heart failure patients take up the offer of rehabilitation activities, which include patient education, physical activities, support for dietary change and smoking cessation, as well as optimization of drug treatment. Patients’ lack of participation may be due to long transportation times, lack of information about activities or lack of motivation.

The purpose of this study is:

  • To develop a game for heart failure patients and their relatives so that they can learn about living with heart failure in everyday life
  • To investigate whether games can be a new ‘learning form’ for heart failure patients and their relatives to learn about life with heart failure in everyday life
  • The Heart Game is part of the research project: Future Patient – Telerehabilitation of Heart Failure Patients II

Co-creation

HjerteSpillet

The heart game has been developed through a collaboration among heart failure patients, relatives, health professionals from the cardiology department , Regional Hospital Viborg/Skive, the health centres in Viborg and Skive municipalities, the Danish Heart Association, and researchers from the Department of Psychology, Aarhus University, the Technical University of Denmark, and Aalborg University.

Target group

The target group for the research program is heart failure patients NYHA class III-IV, over the age of 18, who live in Viborg or Skive municipality.

Partners in the project

  • Regional Hospital of Viborg/Skive
  • Viborg Municipality
  • Skive Municipality
  • The Danish Heart Association
  • Aarhus University
  • Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
  • Laboratory for Welfare Technology, Department of Medicine and Health Technology, Aalborg University.

Funding

The project is supported by the Aage and Johanne Louis-Hansen Foundation and by Aalborg University.

Contact

Professor Birthe Dinesen
Email: bid@hst.aau.dk