Research Initiative Intends to Examine the Positive Effects of Online Gaming Environments for Hospitalized Children

The HOPE (Hospital-based Online Pediatric Environment) Research Initiative aims to evaluate the use of online gaming environments as a potential tool for combatting depression in children on dialysis.

There are other worlds than these, other realities than ours. At least that is what Dr. Arun Mathews, founder of the HOPE Research Initiative believes. HOPE stands for the Hospital Based Online Environment. The pioneering study intends to evaluate the positive aspects of online gaming communities as a possible escape for children confined to their hospital beds or undergoing dialysis. Details can be found on the initiative website www.HOPEconnectsKIDS.org.

The research group is currently fundraising for this novel and potentially quite promising work, with a number of video game companies already showing interest in providing support. The investigative group consists of renowned child psychiatrists, and has partnered with the Children with Challenges Foundation (www.childrenwithchallenges.org), a New York based 501c3 charity in order to facilitate private and corporate sponsorship.

For further inquiries, Dr. Mathews can be contacted at amathews@medsimple.com.