Combating health inequalities using IT: the case of games for controlling diabetes and obesity in Chicago’s south side

© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2018. Diabetes and obesity are serious chronic diseases that are increasing at alarming escalating rates globally; however lower socio-economic groups of populations are over represented and current attempts to stem such increases have not proved to be successful. This paper proffers the potential of serious games that invoke social influence dynamics and are developed around culturally and socially relevant contexts as a way to address this disturbing and growing problem. This paper begins with a brief review of how serious games can be used as an effective learning and communication medium as well as outlining the benefits of social influence before applying the constructs to an Urban Health (Chicago) context. The paper demonstrates how, in this context, games can be used as a pedagogical tool to foster superior learning and understanding. Playing games or using other simulation-oriented applications can offer a visual portrayal of situations, from which this population can garner understanding and applicability to clinical constructs and knowledge.