Herd-Health Environments Research & Design Journal最新文献

ObjectiveThis study investigates how privacy, distraction, and comfort in blood donation environments affect donors' stress and motivation, addressing critical challenges posed by ongoing blood shortages.BackgroundThe reluctance to donate blood is associated with donors' experience exacerbated by stress during the donation process and the quality of the donation environment. Despite known physical environmental influences on patient well-being in healthcare settings, its influence within blood donation settings remains underexplored.MethodsUsing an online survey with a virtual visualization technique, 400 college-aged participants rated their preferences and emotional responses to eight simulated blood drive bus environment settings.ResultsSettings combining privacy, positive distraction, and comfort significantly reduced stress and increased motivation compared to those with fewer interventions. Female and less experienced donors (nondonors, first-timers) particularly benefited from enhanced comfort and distraction, reporting lower fear and greater positive emotions. Cultural differences also influenced experiences.ConclusionsFindings highlight the potential of well-designed blood donation environments to reduce stress and enhance motivation, especially among younger, female, and less experienced donors, improving donation experiences and addressing critical blood shortage.

ObjectiveThis study aims to understand how the participatory design process of healing gardens unfolds in practice, and its relationship with the uses and benefits they provide to users in hospital and residential care home settings.BackgroundHealing gardens are increasingly recognized for their potential to support psychological, emotional, social, and therapeutic well-being. Yet, little is known about how participatory design processes influence their long-term usability and effectiveness, especially in institutional contexts with diverse user needs.MethodsThis study examines two contrasting case studies of healing garden projects-one in a hospital for individuals with neurological impairments, the other in a residential home for children who have experienced trauma. Using an exploratory sequential mixed methods design and an extreme case approach, the study analyzes how the structure and inclusiveness of the participatory design process shaped the perceived benefits, actual uses, and symbolic meaning of each space.ResultsFindings show that inclusive participation, especially by direct beneficiaries, fosters stronger alignment between user needs and design features, leading to increased use, greater perceived therapeutic value, and a deeper sense of space ownership. In contrast, designs dominated by institutional or staff perspectives failed to meet users' needs, resulting in underutilization, misappropriation of space, or limited therapeutic outcomes.ConclusionsThe results emphasize the necessity of embedding context-sensitive, bottom-up participatory strategies throughout the diagnostic and design phases to ensure therapeutic outcomes in landscape architecture. The study offers actionable insights for landscape architects, healthcare administrators, and policy-makers seeking to implement evidence-based, equitable therapeutic environments in care settings.

Objectives: This study aims to improve the walking adaptability of hospital outdoor rest areas to enhance patients' and their family members' willingness to walk and restorative benefits.

Background: Hospital outdoor rest areas are critical for promoting the physical and mental health of patients and their families (PATF). However, if these spaces are not designed with differentiated and targeted strategies that accommodate the diverse and extensive walking needs of users, their willingness to engage with the outdoor environment may be diminished.

Methods: A walking tracking experiment was conducted to record the trajectories, speeds, distances, and durations of walks by PATF. In addition, two walking themes-restorative and exploratory-were introduced. The study compared the walking theme preferences across different demographic groups and examined the differences in behavioral parameters and spatial distribution associated with each theme.

Results: The experimental results indicated that demographic attributes did not significantly influence the choice between the two walking themes. However, statistically significant differences were observed in walking distance and duration between two themes, with walking trajectories exhibiting a spatial distribution pattern characterized by a near-to-far gradient.

Conclusions: This study elucidates the differences and interrelationships between the two walking themes in hospital outdoor rest areas and proposes targeted spatial improvement strategies based on these findings.

Research ObjectiveThis study addresses the issue of excessive overcrowding in outpatient departments of old large tertiary hospitals in China and proposes a spatial optimization framework to improve patient experience and enhance hospital operational efficiency.Research BackgroundExisting research mainly focuses on emergency and inpatient departments, with limited attention to outpatient spaces. From the perspective of environmental behavior studies, this research proposes the "Traffic-Stay Dual Adaptation Model" to evaluate how spatial layout affects patient behavior and attempts to address overcrowding during the normal operation of outpatient departments.Research MethodsUsing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Agent-Based Modeling (ABM), surveys were conducted in two hospitals in Beijing. Six behavioral dimensions were analyzed-comfort, service accessibility, safety, orientation, fluency, and accessibility. Outpatient spatial optimization strategies were proposed, and ABM simulations were conducted using AnyLogic to visualize and validate the effects of the strategies.Research ResultsThe SEM results show a significant positive correlation between traffic adaptability and stay adaptability (β = 0.91). Optimization strategies include adopting outer-corridor layouts, expanding public areas, improving patient flow, and adjusting spatial boundaries. Simulation results show that these measures effectively reduce spatial density and stress density. Hospitals with networked layouts have greater potential for optimization.Research ConclusionThe Dual Adaptation Model proposed in this study can effectively balance spatial fluidity and comfort, alleviating outpatient overcrowding. The findings offer practical guidance for outpatient space optimization, enhancing hospital efficiency and improving patient experiences.

Aim: The aim of this research was to identify the adaptive comfort mechanisms available in resident bedrooms of a newly built long-term care (LTC) home in Ontario, Canada, and examine how these were used to manage environmental stressors.

Background: LTC facilities house vulnerable populations susceptible to various stressors. While psychosocial stressors are well-documented, physical stressors caused by the indoor environment also significantly impact resident behavior and satisfaction.

Method: This study was nested within a larger mixed-methods postoccupancy evaluation. Methods included building walkthroughs, spot measurements, structured observations, staff and resident interviews, and an analysis of network sensor data extracted from building system reports.

Results: Few adaptive mechanisms were available to residents. Those that were-window blinds and adjustable thermostats-were being actively used to mitigate perceived environmental stressors. While light levels in resident bedrooms met minimum requirements, frequent use of blinds and reliance on artificial lighting diminished the benefits of daylight on health and well-being. Temperature trends indicated frequent fluctuation within the acceptable thresholds and greater sensitivity to heat than cold.

Conclusions: Personal control mechanisms play a critical role in enhancing resident comfort in LTC facilities. Despite meeting regulatory standards for indoor environment quality, blind and thermostat use revealed additional layers of environmental stressors that need to be addressed along with critical opportunities for further research. Limitations in the accessibility and usability of personal control devices for residents with mobility or cognitive impairments highlight significant areas for improvement in LTC design.

ObjectivesThis study evaluated a standardized patient room designed for multiple acuity levels in a quaternary care academic medical center by actively engaging clinical teams through an iterative simulation-based evaluation process using physical mock-ups.BackgroundPatient rooms are replicated multiple times in hospitals, and their design impacts patient and staff outcomes. Balancing often-conflicting needs and designing for future flexibility can be challenging. Simulation-based mock-up evaluations can help engage clinicians to obtain feedback about healthcare facility design in the context of clinical work.MethodsFocus groups, surveys, and observations collected input on a patient room design in three phases. The first phase assessed the bathroom location (inboard versus outboard) and room layout. The second phase evaluated five critical areas of the patient room: the bathroom, family zone, handwashing sink, dry work surface, and headwall. The third phase evaluated whether an outboard bathroom on the headwall or footwall supported patient care delivery better.ResultsThe study found that an outboard bathroom provided a better connection to the corridor, more functional space in the room, better equipment flow, and dedicated family space. Through the simulations, the team identified spatial challenges in the context of clinical scenarios and provided recommendations for refining design features. Clinicians preferred the footwall bathroom configuration due to better workflow support during the enacted patient care scenarios.ConclusionOverall, an outboard footwall bathroom supported staff workflows and care activities. The iterative simulation-based evaluation process was highly effective for obtaining clinicians' design feedback within the context of their everyday work.

AimThis study aimed to examine the factors influencing leisure walking intention among older adults in urban residential areas, analyze their interrelationships, and propose strategies for promoting walking activities.BackgroundUnderstanding the factors influencing walking intentions among older adults is essential for developing interventions that enhance physical activity levels in an ageing society. A comprehensive approach that integrates psychological and environmental factors provides deeper insight into these influences.MethodsData were primarily obtained from older adults aged 60 years and older residing in five residential areas in Guilin, China, selected based on construction time, population density, available facilities, and aesthetic design. Participants were recruited through assistance from residential management. After excluding questionnaires with ineligible ages, excessively short completion times, or uniform responses, 527 valid questionnaires were retained. Data analysis was constructed using structural equation modeling, integrating the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Health Belief Model. Reliability and validity of the questionnaire were evaluated through Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability, factor loadings and average variance extracted.ResultsThe findings of this study revealed that among the factors influencing walking behavior intention, attitudes towards walking had the strongest positive effects. Perceived environmental barriers have a stronger negative impact on walking intention than perceived personal barriers.ConclusionsImproving residential walking facilities to reduce environmental barriers and enhancing community health education to reinforce health beliefs are effective strategies for promoting physical activity among older adults. These findings provide practical guidance for urban planning and public health initiatives.

AimThe study aims to explore and preliminarily address the needs of users in the diagnostic imaging departments. The identified needs have been translated into initial design concepts for a proposed layout of diagnostic imaging departments, informed by systematic literature review to address the requirements of patients, nurses, technologists, and radiologists. The research examines the potential influence of these design concepts on fulfilling users' needs.BackgroundThe imaging department is recognized as a main diagnostic unit in hospitals. Nearly all patient categories, including inpatients, outpatients, and emergency patients, utilize this department, as do its staff members.MethodsA proposed layout for the department has been designed to address the demands of patients and staff while simplifying the flow of various patient kinds. Fifty experts, including healthcare designers, technologists, and radiologists in Saudi Arabia, evaluated this proposal through a questionnaire survey.ResultsThe findings demonstrate that the proposal could fulfill patients' requirements for flow organization (88%), privacy (78%), and reduced travel distance (70%), while also addressing staff demands for patient observation in waiting rooms (88%), travel efficiency (82%), and confidentiality (94%). This layout additionally supports family presence (78%), can improve the acoustic environment (86%), and enables daylight (92%).ConclusionThis study presents a layout for the imaging department that would potentially address the requirements of patients and staff; hence, it can enhance the healthcare environment within these facilities.

AimThe present case study explores insights related to navigating biophilic design innovation in public healthcare using the Outdoor Care Retreat at Oslo University Hospital and the Hospital of Southern Norway as a case.BackgroundAvailable research from environmental psychology proposes an association between access to biophilic design, well-being, health, and hospitalization satisfaction. Still, integrating this research into public healthcare is challenging and there is a need for research that builds on innovative examples of biophilic design integration in this context.MethodsStudy findings are based on eight individual interviews with people involved in project initiation and development of the Outdoor Care Retreat, in addition to online public records and other digital documents related to the case study. The qualitative materials were analyzed according to reflexive thematic analysis and categorized into themes.ResultsFindings illustrate how moving beyond conventional healthcare practices can support the implementation of biophilic design. Specifically, the findings suggest that biophilic design in healthcare benefits from an appealing story, individual contributions, and an organizational and environmental context that challenges common conventions. Drawing from research from public healthcare innovation and biophilic design, the study outlines key insights for implementation.ConclusionsThis study contributes to bridging the gap between theory and practice in a public healthcare context. It offers key insights for implementing biophilic design in healthcare environments, with the potential to ensure valuable improvements in the hospitalization experience for patients and their families in future developments of public healthcare facilities.

ObjectivesThis study quantified the total time required by staff to complete intrahospital transfers (IHTs) and identified key activities and facility attributes affecting efficiency.BackgroundIHTs, which involve moving patients between rooms or units, place significant demands on healthcare staff and facility resources. While previous studies have explored the impact of IHTs on patient safety and clinical efficiency, few have assessed the specific tasks and time demands on all staff members involved.MethodsFifty IHTs (39 between-unit, 11 within-unit) were observed at a 718-bed level-1 trauma hospital. Transfer tasks were categorized into 13 activity types. These included managing equipment, belongings, and supplies (EBS), handoff communication, and patient transport.ResultsIHTs required a mean of 77 min of staff time, 53 min (75%) of which was nursing time. EBS management accounted for the largest share of transfer time, followed by handoff communication. Transfers with an increase in acuity level required more staff and additional total time. Elevator use was associated with a significant increase in nursing time. Issues that added to transfer time included miscommunication about room readiness and the need to acquire or transport specialized equipment.ConclusionsStreamlining EBS processes, optimizing staffing for acuity-related transfers, and improving elevator availability could reduce IHT times and alleviate workload on nurses. Enhanced coordination during shift changes, better communication about room readiness, and support for non-clinical tasks offer further opportunities to improve efficiency. These findings underscore the role of facility design and operations management in enhancing hospital efficiency, reducing nursing burden, and improving patient care.