Video gaming is an addictive disorder: WHO

WHO releases its latest classification of diseases

WHO has added WHO has added "gaming disorder" to its list of diseases | Reuters

Spending too much time on video games is a disorder, according to the World Health Organisation. 

In its latest classification of diseases released on Monday, the WHO has added "gaming disorder" to its list of diseases. Gamimg disorder, that falls under the category of “addictive disorders” is defined as a "pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behaviour ('digital gaming' or 'video gaming'), which may be online(i.e. over the internet) or offline”. The manifestations of the disorder include "impaired control over gaming", "increasing priority given to gaming to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities" and "continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences". 

This behaviour pattern may be continuous, episodic or recurrent, says the document. For a diagnosis to be assigned, the gaming behaviour and other features have to be normally evident over a period of at least 12 months, although the required duration may be shortened if all diagnostic requirements are met and symptoms are severe, according to the WHO's International Classification of Diseases-11 (ICD-11).

The ICD-11 is a foundation for identifying health trends and statistics worldwide, and contains around 55,000 unique codes for injuries, diseases and causes of death. It provides a common language that allows health professionals to share health information across the globe.

“The ICD is a product that WHO is truly proud of," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, in a statement released to the press. “It enables us to understand so much about what makes people get sick and die, and to take action to prevent suffering and save lives."

The latest classification that has been in the making for over a decade, has some new additions, and significant changes, too. There is a chapter on traditional medicine (Chinese), because though "millions of people use traditional medicine worldwide", it has never been classified in the system. Another new chapter on sexual health brings together conditions that were previously categorised in other ways (for example, gender incongruence was listed under mental health conditions) or described differently. Gender incongruence is defined as a "marked and persistent incongruence between an individual’s experienced gender and the assigned sex" . The identification under sexual health will help remove stigma for those suffering, and allow them better access to healthcare.

The ICD 11 also reflects "progress in medicine" and "advances in scientific understanding". For instance, the codes relating to antimicrobial resistance are more closely in line with the Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (GLASS).

It also enables better capturing of data regarding safety in healthcare, which means that unnecessary events that may harm health—such as unsafe workflows in hospitals—can be identified and reduced. For the first time, it is completely electronic and has a much more user-friendly format, too. There has been unprecedented involvement of healthcare workers who have joined collaborative meetings and submitted proposals. The document will now be presented at the World Health Assembly in May 2019 for adoption by member states, and will come into effect on January 1, 2022. 

The release on Monday, however, is an advance preview that will allow countries to plan how to use the new version, prepare translations, and train health professionals all over the country, the statement said. "The key principle in this revision was to simplify the coding structure and electronic tooling – this will allow health care professionals to more easily and completely record conditions,” said Dr Robert Jakob, Team Leader, Classifications Terminologies and Standards, WHO.

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