Playing for Health: Board Games as Tools for Training and Adolescent Engagement in Primary Care

Abstract In this roundtable session, participants will have the opportunity to explore five educational board games developed as part of the Chega Junto Project, designed to engage adolescents and train primary care professionals on key health topics. The session will begin with a brief presentation of each game, explaining its educational objectives, target themes, and gameplay structure. After this initial overview, participants will be invited to experience the games directly. Attendees will be divided into five small groups. Each group will be assigned to one game and will rotate through all five stations. At each station, participants will have 30 minutes to play and reflect on the game's focus and potential for implementation in training or adolescent engagement strategies. The games include: Paraizópolis: A cooperative game focused on vaccination and the fight against misinformation, set on a board inspired by the real geography of Paraisópolis. Players work together to overcome the “Monster of Misinformation.” Insano: A cooperative game centered on mental health, where players strengthen protective factors like social bonds and physical activity to reduce symptoms of common disorders. Caminhos: A competitive game about navigating the health system. Players face real-world health scenarios and must choose between various service options, revealing system strengths and gaps. Sonhos: A competitive game about life goals. Each player embodies a character and must collect life aspiration cards (e.g., family, education, leisure) through strategy and negotiation. Infecção: A cooperative game in which players represent organs fighting off infections, including STIs. Success depends on collaboration and wise use of health system resources like vaccines and SUS support.