UABDivulga - Barcelona recerca i innovació

In the Experimental Tuberculosis Unit (UTE) of the Germans Trias i Pujol Foundation and Hospital, we have designed and developed a role-playing board game to increase knowledge about tuberculosis: what it is, how it spreads, how its transmission can be limited, and how it is treated. “Amenaça Tuberculosi” (Tuberculosis Alert) serves as a creative and accessible tool for addressing complex scientific concepts with the general public while helping to dispel common myths about tuberculosis and reduce stigmatization.

Thanks to the support of the Department of Research and Universities of the Generalitat of Catalonia through the project 2021SGR00920 and a charitable round-up campaign by Condis supermarkets, we currently have 8 complete copies of the game (board, cards, tokens, and custom box) with instructions translated to 4 languages (Catalan, Spanish, English, and French).

The innovation of “Amenaça Tuberculosi” lies in being the first board game specifically created to address tuberculosis, combining education and entertainment in an accessible format and with dynamics adaptable based on audience feedback. A pilot test conducted during the European Researchers’ Night last September and various sessions with 4th-year ESO (high school) and baccalaureate students demonstrated that the activity improves both general and specific knowledge about tuberculosis while providing a fun experience for the target audience.

The board game was presented at the international congress “MycoNET”, held on November 25 and 26 at the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, as well as at the monthly sessions of the European project “Advance-TB.” Additionally, following the pilot test on September 27, and through the communications departments of the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) and the Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital (HUGTiP), a press release was issued to local and regional media. The news was published in “El TOT Badalona,” “Diari de Santa Coloma,” “Diari de Badalona,” and “Badalona Comunicació.” Furthermore, on October 10, we conducted an interview on “Radio Badalona” to explain the initiative, and as part of the social media outreach campaign, we created an Instagram profile (@amenacatuberculosi) to share information and photos from the sessions.

With all these efforts, “Amenaça Tuberculosi” emerges as a promising gamification tool, and multiple schools in Catalonia have already shown interest. Our current goal is to bring the game closer to the community through workshops in schools, science fairs, and other events, raising awareness about the disease and reducing the associated stigma.