$3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV Avoidance

February 8, 2010 -

Thanks to a research grant of $3.9 million from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Yale University will create a videogame designed to teach youngsters how to best avoid being infected by the HIV virus.

The grant will be distributed over the course of five years and enable the project, which will be led by Yale School of Medicine Assistant Professor of Medicine Lynn Fiellin M.D. Titled Retro-Warriors, the game will be created with different cultures in mind, in order to spread its message to adolescents around the globe.

The game’s main goal is stated as “teaching minority adolescents sex, drug and alcohol negotiation and refusal skills.” It’s proposed that instead of just preaching about things that could lead to catching HIV, the game would contain a role-playing aspect enabling those using it to participate in and learn from such risky behaviors.

Fiellin stated:

Access to the Internet is growing in developing countries and these technologies could be transferred to adolescents in countries experiencing a growing HIV epidemic but which have limited access to targeted risk-reduction strategies.

Upon completion the game will be subjected to a clinical trial in a New Haven, Connecticut community center.

Via Kotaku, Thanks Andrew!

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Comments

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by sharpshooterbabe on Wed, 02/10/2010 - 11:30.

LMAO! I have a solution for kids: Just tell them to stay abstinent & to not share needles if they use drugs w/friends. Easy as that!

"It's better to be hated for who you are, then be loved for who you are not." - Montgomery Gentry

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by jedidethfreak on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 06:56.

My question is, how long after this game comes out is it used by some crackpots in Africa as "proof" that white people in America are trying to kill them? I only ask because this is thrown out almost every time there's an attempt by anyone to try and limit the spread of AIDS over there.

---

You KILL Vampires. You don't DATE them.

--- With the first link, the chain is forged.

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by Bennett Beeny on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 15:01.

White people in America ARE trying to kill Africans. Just look at the US circumcision activists over there, telling everyone that getting circumcised will prevent the spread of HIV. Heck, they're even on the verge of convincing the World Health Organization that it's a good idea. It didn't work in the US where almost everyone was circumcised at the time HIV entered the country, but heck, the pro-circ folks want to really give it a try in Africa - I mean what could go wrong?.

Right now, people in Africa are being taught that condoms prevent the spread of HIV - which is true. But if the pro-circumcision crowd get their way - and it's looking like they will, once most of those young African teens and 20 year olds in dirt poor villages get circumcised in the new circumcision programs, they're going to think they're immune, and they're going to have unprotected sex like it was going out of style.

If folks think the African AIDS epidemic is out of control now, just wait a few years, 'cos if the circumcision activists get their way, we ain't seen nothing yet.

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by deuxhero on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 23:11.

3.9mil to tell people to get themself and there future partners checked for STDs before having sex? Where can I sign up?

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by DarkSaber on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 15:43.

Christ, 3.9m to fund a game that will basically say "Use a condom" and wont get played by the people who could most use that knowledge anyway.

--------------------------------------------------

I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.

-------------------------------------------------- I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by Andrew Eisen on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 16:06.

After reading the abstract (and due to the age of the targeted group), I get the impression that the message is going to be a bit closer to "don't have sex, period." But I agree, I don't foresee this being very successful.

Andrew Eisen

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by DarkSaber on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 16:11.

So they are going the tried, tested and proven woefully inadequate Christian route as opposed to the common sense route.

--------------------------------------------------

I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.

-------------------------------------------------- I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by E. Zachary Knight on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 16:58.

Oh, you mean abstinence? You do realize that it is the only 100% effective method of avoiding unwanted prenancies and STDs right?

I agree that teenagers need to learn more than just abstinence, but to completely ignore it is just as bad as focusing on it completely.

Of course I am of the opinion that sex education should be the responsibility of the parent and not people that have no vested interest in the children they are teaching.

E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma

E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by DarkSaber on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 18:07.

You also realize that "abstinence" has a far FAR higher rate of failure than a condom right?

--------------------------------------------------

I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.

-------------------------------------------------- I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by E. Zachary Knight on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 09:19.

Here is my final word on the issue.

Abstinence has a 100% success rate in preventing unwanted pregnancy and STDs. It is when people choose to stop abstaining that those problems arise.

E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma

E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by CortenPlus on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 11:17.

It's an odd sensation, having shared your perspective with every prior comment I've read, to suddenly want to adamantly disagree with you. Basically, the key point here is that abstinence just isn't a method of "safe sex," it's no sex. That's like offering to help the poor by instructing them to stop wanting money. It's a very Buddhist solution - and I agree that it would be preferable if they accepted it - but I expect it will remain beyond the ability of an average teenager to appreciate. So the question is should society pursue this utopian ideal, or employ our array of technology to combat the tax payer's burdens of teenage pregnancy and disease. Personally, after watching abstinence-only be given the spotlight and a chance to prove itself for more than a full decade now, I just don't possess any faith that it can be reformed into something effective with satisfying results. I do hope you don't resent our side of this argument for the conflict here. Posts of this subject can't seem to help but spawn these pointless spats on the internet.

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by E. Zachary Knight on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 13:57.

It's an odd sensation, having shared your perspective with every prior comment I've read, to suddenly want to adamantly disagree with you.

Now what are you disagreeing with here? That abstaning does not result in 100% protection from unwanted pregancy and STDs or that it is only after chossing not to abstain that those problems arise?

Using condoms have a less than 100% success rate in preventing unwanted pregancies and STDs. Birth Control has a less than 100% success rate in preventing unwanted pregancies.

Yet, if someone makes the decision to abstain, they will never get pregnant nor contract an STD. (except for rare cases of tainted blood transfusion)

What really fails in abstinence only education programs is their inability to instill a compelling reason to abstain.

E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma

E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by gellymatos on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 19:38.

Abstinence has no failure rate. Failure of the person to apply x does't mean that x failed. You don't say that a condom as failed when someone chose not to use it.

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." -Albert Einstein

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by CortenPlus on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 21:59.

You're such tools. Enjoy the STDs that result from this miserable failure of an "education." Teenagers screw -- It's an animal thing. Most of us did, most of our kids will; those that didn't weren't given the chance. Either deal with the reality in a meaningful, tangible method (hint: latex is tangible) or stick your head in the sand; that will be equally effective as nicely asking them to wait till marriage.

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by gellymatos on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 23:25.

You would think gamers on this site would learn from JT not to generalize or sterotype. Apparently not all have. Certainly not you, corten. The whole "can't resist" argument is based off of some absurd belief and sterotype that teens can't help but have sex or that sex is some unresistable force. I'm sorry, but when did "oh, I couldn't resist the urge" become a good excuse for ANYTHING!!! No matter how you feel on the safe sex issue, anyone can see this "can't resist" belief as crap. There is a choice to being abstinent or not. Don't insult those who are by implying that they are forced, and don't insult those who aren't by implying they have no real choice on whether they can screw or not. I really don't like it when people throw around BS. And that is quite a lot of it you just showed me. Reality? Hah! I don't think you understand what reality is. And you know what else? I'm am sick of people including in their arguements that their point is, in fact, "reality", as though such a statement proves that they are right. If not prove, then somehow strengthen their belief.

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." -Albert Einstein

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by CortenPlus on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 10:36.

You're so disconnected that you don't even realize that it's not a matter of "can't resist," it's the fact that they had no legitimate reason to do so. Sex is both healthy and natural at that age, and it can be done perfectly safely with a combination of condoms and birth control. This isn't some evil urge or corruption that deserves to be condemned and assaulted. For all of the backwards conservative garbage spouted by people like you and old Jack Thompson, every savvy kid has always seen straight through to that truth -- That there isn't any good reason to refrain. That's why they never have and never will, no matter how belligerent you respond to the subject matter.

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by Andrew Eisen on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 11:21.

"Sex is both healthy and natural at that age..."

For 9 to 14-year-olds?

"...every savvy kid has always seen straight through to that truth -- That there isn't any good reason to refrain."

Avoiding disease and pregnancy always seemed like pretty compelling reasons to me.

Andrew Eisen

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by DarkSaber on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 12:03.

"Avoiding" disease? HA, what about afterwards, maybe stopping the tides or the earths rotation?

--------------------------------------------------

I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.

-------------------------------------------------- I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by Andrew Eisen on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 12:14.

Not sure what you're getting at. Don't have sex and and you will avoid contracting sexually transmitted diseases (unless you have really bad luck with a blood transfusion or something).

Andrew Eisen

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by DarkSaber on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 07:16.

"I'm sorry, but when did "oh, I couldn't resist the urge" become a good excuse for ANYTHING"

It's a pretty good excuse for doing the housework, or the shopping.

--------------------------------------------------

I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.

-------------------------------------------------- I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by Andrew Eisen on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 16:24.

Maybe they'd have better luck designing a video game that teaches adults the importance of parenting their children instead of making a game to do it for them.

Andrew Eisen

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by DarkSaber on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 16:26.

You probably wouldn't get 3.9 million in grant money then though.

--------------------------------------------------

I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.

-------------------------------------------------- I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by Andrew Eisen on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 16:34.

And even if you did, would anyone play it? And if they played it, would the game have the desired result? I personally doubt it.

Andrew Eisen

Re: $3.9M Grant to Fund Yale Game That Will Teach HIV ...

Submitted by Dejiko on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 15:26.

And many parents probably won't let their kids see this because it teaches them about sex.

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Neo_DrKefka: Gawker loses advertiser MERCED ES https://mobile .twitter.com/TheRalphRetort/status/522813815260733441/photo/1 after Gawker writer advocates bullying of nerds with an anti Gamergate rant10/19/2014 - 12:32pm

Matthew Wilson: https://soundcloud.com/totalbiscuit/weaponised-charity a interesting audio log.10/19/2014 - 12:04pm

prh99: Also there is no story in rational and respectful discussion (where you can find it).10/19/2014 - 10:44am

prh99: Well they are probably doing it on Twitter and probably the GG hashtag so any voice reason gets drowned out by idiocy. Also it's far easier to broad brush a group.10/19/2014 - 10:41am

Wonderkarp: dont fool yourself, Technogeek. Remember Mass Effect 3? How about the ferver against Phil Fish?10/19/2014 - 10:18am

MechaTama31: None of which is the fault or responsibility of the people who are not trolling, harassing, threatening, doxxing, etc. So why is their opinion hostage to the people who are?10/19/2014 - 10:06am

Technogeek: If the developer were male there wouldn't have been a "conversation" in the first place.10/19/2014 - 2:27am

Monte: trolls are just at their absolute worst when it comes to women and feminist. You could bet good money that if the developer were male the trolls would be silent and the conversation would actually focus on the journalism.10/18/2014 - 9:18pm

Monte: Papa: Not the first time we've had a journalism scandals before, but the harassment never got close to this level; the difference with this scandal is that feminists are involved. Without the feminist angle, their would be A LOT less harrassment10/18/2014 - 9:15pm

Papa Midnight: Monte: That's honestly rather short-sighted. As has been proven with other persons who have been targeted, if it wasn't Quinn, it would be someone else.10/18/2014 - 6:26pm

Avalongod: I think that's part of what gives an esoteric news story like this real life...it taps into a larger narrative about misogyny in society outside of games.10/18/2014 - 3:29pm

Avalongod: @Monte, well the trolls made death threats that came to police (and media attention). I think this is tapping into a larger issue outside of games about how women are treated in society (like all the "real rape" stuff during the last election)10/18/2014 - 3:28pm

Wonderkarp: Zippy : Havent tried the PS4 controller. might later.10/18/2014 - 2:37pm

Monte: Seirously, If Quinn was not involved and GG was instead about something like the Mordor Marketing contracts, the trolling would have never grown so vile and disgusting. There have been plenty of movements in the past that never sufferred from behavior..10/18/2014 - 1:57pm

Monte: We have seen scandel's before but the trolling has never been as vile as what we see with GG. Trolls usually have such a tiny voice you can barely notice them, but its like moths to a flame whenever femistist are involved.10/18/2014 - 1:53pm

ZippyDSMlee: Wonderkarp: You might be able to if you had a PS4 controller.10/18/2014 - 1:00pm

MaskedPixelante: http://store.steampowered.com/app/327940/ Night Dive starts charging for freeware.10/18/2014 - 12:21pm

Matthew Wilson: the sad thing is there are trolls on both sides of this. people need to stop acting like their side is so pure.10/18/2014 - 12:19pm

MechaTama31: So, only speak out on a scandal that hasn't attracted trolls? I wouldn't hold my breath...10/18/2014 - 10:49am

Monte: I feel like GG just needs to die. The movement is FAR to tainted by hatred and BS for it to be useful for any conversation. Let GG die, and then rally behind the NEXT gaming journalism scandal, and start the conversation fresh.10/18/2014 - 10:33am

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