How video games are reshaping global health: ADHD, mental health

Research and expert insights illustrate how gamified health tools are creating behavior change in public health worldwide.

Can a video game ease anxiety, build focus, or support a child with ADHD?

As healthcare challenges surge globally — especially among youth — innovators are turning to an unlikely tool: video games. Now one of the world’s largest entertainment industries, the global gaming market is projected to surpass $522 billion by the end of 2025, according to Statista. A new wave of purpose-driven games has emerged to promote emotional well-being, treat attention disorders, and teach life-saving health behaviors. A landmark NIH study found mental health video games improved 69% of psychological therapy outcomes — a breakthrough that’s shifting perceptions of what games can do. From ADHD awareness games backed by top psychologists to vaccine education games supported by WHO, these aren’t just games — they’re evidence-based digital health tools reshaping public health communication. My new video interview with WHO’s Andy Pattison supports this thesis.

From Play to Purpose: How ADHD Awareness Games and Gamified Health Tools Drive Global Behavior Change

According to Psyon Games CEO Olli Rundgren, “The combined impact of gamified health interventions could result in a 10–30X increase in efficiency compared to traditional awareness methods, through enhanced engagement, improved knowledge retention, improved longevity and stronger behavioral outcomes.”

One standout example is FULL ADHD, a purpose-driven awareness game developed by Psyon Games in partnership with Takeda Pharmaceuticals. In Finland, the game saw user engagement average 17 minutes per session — nearly 8 times longer than typical health website visits. The game also achieved 82% lower cost-per-install than industry benchmarks, with 88% of players reporting a changed perception of ADHD. Psyon is also finalizing a feasibility study for an HPV awareness game backed by the Gates Foundation in Africa – — part of a growing wave of purpose-driven games reshaping global health communication.

Breaking the Stigma and Building Empathy

Stephen V. Faraone, PhD, Distinguished Professor at SUNY Upstate Medical University, believes that digital ADHD awareness tools can play a pivotal role in public education. “We live in a world where many people do not understand mental disorders, especially those that affect children. That leads to stigma, bullying and being ostracized,” he says. He views ADHD awareness games as scalable tools to improve empathy and tolerance, especially in regions where diagnosis and understanding are limited.

Games’ immersive storytelling offers more than awareness — they create emotional resonance and foster behavior change. Faraone emphasizes that campaigns rooted in storytelling may shift public perception more effectively than traditional formats.

The Design Secret: Aligning Motivation and Context

According to Andreas Lieberoth, PhD, Associate Professor at the Danish Institute of Education, mental health video games are most effective when timed with user motivation. “The best health games don’t just entertain — they scaffold behavior change,” he says. “They work well when they activate and enhance situations where people already want help or need a nudge to start.”

He emphasizes good design over gimmicks: short-term appeal through gamelike aesthetics can spark interest, but long-term engagement requires alignment with the user’s needs and context. Mobile games excel during “digital snacking” moments, but only if they deliver timely, realistic challenges and feedback.

Lieberoth advocates embedding gamification in education platforms, therapy tools, or work utilities as cognitive support. “Gamification works best when it supports systems people already use.”

Why Games Work: From Passive Learning to Active Transformation

Rachel Mutuku, Global Director at Girl Effect, has seen purpose-driven games transform health engagement across India, Kenya, and Tanzania. “Instead of being told what to do, girls made choices, faced outcomes, and learned through doing,” she says. In India, their Go Nisha Go mobile game let players step into the life of a 19-year-old navigating reproductive health, building empathy through role-play.

Gamification in education also enabled sustained engagement. In the past year, over 100,000 youth interacted with Girl Effect’s chatbots and IVR-based choose-your-adventure games. A partnership with Wysa introduced AI-powered health chatbots into Girl Effect’s tools, offering anxiety relief and well-being support.

Mutuku says games break taboos in conservative regions, support personalization at scale, and enable continuous learning. In areas where traditional healthcare is inaccessible or mistrusted, health games for youth are transformative.

Siff Malue Nielsen at WHO Europe backs this with data. In a study of more than a thousand students, those who played WHO’s Immune Patrol game outperformed peers taught through traditional methods. The gamified modules used narrative-driven sandbox challenges to teach immunization concepts and promote vaccine confidence.

“Students recognized the importance of learning about immunization,” Nielsen says. “And teachers saw faster vocabulary growth and deeper understanding.”

She emphasizes cultural sensitivity, noting that success varies by region. “We must consider the when, where, and who — tailoring content to specific communities is essential to drive behavioral health engagement.”

Katrine Habersaat, who leads the WHO Regional Office’s Behavioral and Cultural Insights Unit, agrees that gamification can equip children with lifelong critical thinking and health literacy skills. “Games like Immune Patrol don’t just inform — they help children navigate misinformation,” she explains. Embedding such tools into school curricula can create ripple effects, even shaping caregivers’ health choices.

From ADHD to Global Health: The Power of Narrative and Personalization

Karolien Poels, Professor of Strategic Communication at the University of Antwerp, highlights transparency and co-design as pillars of trust. “Let students know what the game is about. Involve parents and teachers. And match the quality of commercial games kids play,” she says.

Her research confirms that emotional connection through avatars and immersive storylines deepens learning. Serious games must offer high production value, she adds, especially if used outside of school.

Poels recommends defining goals clearly and involving the end user throughout. “If the game is to work long-term, it has to be fun, evidence-based, and easily accessible — with the right distribution channels.”

Future Vision: Smarter Tools, Higher Impact

As the space grows, experts emphasize sustainability. Lieberoth cautions against shallow gamified layers like badges or leaderboards unless supported by deep design thinking. He advocates for embedding games into trusted platforms where they act as ongoing cognitive scaffolds.

Olli Rundgren agrees. “We’ve shown strong impact with modest budgets,” he says, “but there’s untapped potential in deeper storytelling, better design, and more immersive experiences.”

He also sees potential in combining purpose-driven games with AI-powered health chatbots. “Imagine blending a game’s emotional arc with real-time adaptive support — that’s where we’re headed.”

Let the Games Begin

Health games for youth are no longer niche experiments. They are cost-effective, emotionally engaging, and scientifically validated tools for reshaping healthcare communication. When grounded in empathy, research, and cultural awareness, they don’t just raise awareness — they change lives.

As Rundgren says, “When you create something that people love to use, it doesn’t just raise awareness — it drives real behavioral health engagement.”