Access to health care for gaming disorder: A patient-centred approach to address the continuum of need

Abstract

Background Problematic gaming, including its most serious form known as gaming disorder (GD) in the ICD-11, affects approximately 1–3% of the population and can have significant negative impacts on health and wellbeing. Research to determine the optimal health system responses to GD remains limited. This study aimed to identify and describe the key components of a patient-centred approach to prevention, early intervention, and treatment of GD. Methods Online interviews were conducted with 20 adults (90% male; Mage=23y) currently seeking help for GD-related issues. The interview protocol was guided by a health care access framework which investigated participants’ experiences and needs related to accessing professional support. Transcripts were analysed in Nvivo using qualitative content analysis to systematically classify participant data into the themes informed by this framework. Results Although the characteristics and resultant harms of GD were broadly recognised, participants indicated that these issues may not always be viewed by healthcare providers as a serious problem that requires intervention or that could be addressed through treatment. This highlights a significant barrier to access at the beginning of the patient journey when patients may perceive that they have a legitimate need for care and seek a relevant, tailored, and safe service to meet this need. Participants described the essential components of an effective health service for GD as including: valid and reliable screening tools for GD; practitioners with specialist knowledge of GD that includes, or is strongly informed by, lived experience of peers; and access to a multimodal system of intervention, including web-based and face-to-face options that allow gamers to transition between types and intensity of support. Conclusion A comprehensive health care approach for gaming disorder is currently in its infancy and there are numerous service access and delivery issues still to be resolved. This study highlights the importance of involving individuals with GD in developing solutions that are fit for purpose and address the spectrum of intervention needs. These findings recommend a stepped GD healthcare system that adheres to evidence-based practice tailored to each individual and the implementation of standard assessment and routine outcome monitoring.