Using Games in Public Health (Part 2 of "Let the Games Begin")

This week we are continuing the second part of our two-part series on video games and public health. Last week we spoke with Tina Hoff, Vice President and Director of Entertainment Media Partnerships at the Kaiser Family Foundation, Marguerita Lightfoot of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and David Galiel, an expert on new media with experience in game development.

Let the Games Begin

We've been noticing a lot of press about video games lately. Grand Theft Auto IV is flying off the shelves. It sold 60 million copies in the first week. Other games, like Guitar Hero and games for Nintendo's Wii gaming system, continue to increase in popularity. At AIDS.gov, we're interested in video games as one more way to reach people with important HIV/AIDS messages and possibly influence their behaviors. So, this week we begin a two-part series on the subject.

Old and New Media Unite--Promoting National HIV/AIDS Awareness Days

This month, the organizations planning and implementing HIV Vaccine Awareness Day and National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day are promoting these observances and expanding their reach by using traditional and new media tools.

National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV Awareness Day - May 19

According to the CDC, the number of Asian and Pacific Islanders (API) living with AIDS has climbed by more than 10 percent in each of the last five years. Sixty-seven percent of API men living with HIV/AIDS in 2005 were men who had sex with other men. Eighty percent of API women living with HIV/AIDS in 2005 were infected through heterosexual contact.

Be Relevant, Be Real, Be Informed, Be There

In last week's post on PodCamp, we noted that our blog would begin to carry a list of new media conferences. We encourage you to visit the new Conferences Page.

We want to highlight conferences because these events can contribute to the dialogue on the effective use of new media. Many of these conferences are free or offer scholarships and volunteer opportunities in exchange for conference fees.