Creating Optimal Healing Environments

2018 ◽  
pp. 371-389
Author(s):  
Terri Zborowsky ◽  
Mary Jo Kreitzer
Keyword(s):  
Physical Environment ◽  
Community Hospital ◽  
Healing Environment ◽  
Ambient Environment ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Designed Environment ◽  
Healing Environments ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Dynamic Interplay

An optimal healing environment is created through the deep and dynamic interplay between people, place, process and culture. Over 1,000 papers have been published linking the physical environment to outcomes related to patients and staff. Integrative nurses are well positioned to be leaders in the planning of healing spaces. This chapter defines “healing environment”; describes research on the impact of the designed environment; and discusses the effects of such factors as nature, daylight, positive distractions, aesthetics (including color), and an ambient environment on health and wellbeing. A case study of an optimal healing environment using North Hawaii Community Hospital is presented.

scholarly journals Typhoon Mangkhut Case Study: Household and Community Typhoon Preparedness in Hong Kong, a Densely Populated Urban City

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (s1) ◽  
pp. s45-s45
Author(s):  
Asta YT Man ◽  
Emily Ying Yang Chan ◽  
Holly CY Lam
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Air Conditioners ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Urban City ◽  
Socio Demographic Factors ◽  
The Impact

Introduction:As a subtropical urbanized city in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong is prone to frequent typhoons. With an increasing number of severe typhoons, usual preparedness measures should be explored to assess their adequacy to safeguard health and wellbeing. Typhoon Mangkhut (2018) serves as an example of the successes and limitations of community preparedness for a severe typhoon.Aim:To explore how Hong Kong residents prepared for Typhoon Mangkhut and whether their usual preparedness measures provided enough protection.Methods:A population-based randomized telephone survey of Hong Kong residents (n=521) was conducted soon after Typhoon Mangkhut’s landing. Only residents aged 18 or above and understood Cantonese were included. Socio-demographic factors, types of typhoon and general preparedness, risk perception, and impacts from the typhoon were asked. Descriptive characteristics and univariate analysis were used to describe the patterns and associations.Results:8.6% of respondents felt their home was at high risk of danger during typhoons although 33.4% reported some form of impact from Mangkhut. Over 70% reported doing at least one typhoon specific preparedness measure. Among those who practiced at least one typhoon specific preparedness measure, 37.2% (p=0.002) were affected by the typhoon.Discussion:Despite the high adaptation of preparedness measures, warranted by the frequent typhoons, Hong Kong residents were not adequately prepared for a severe typhoon. While the early warning system and evacuation of flood-prone areas mitigated some of the impact, unexpected effects such as flying air conditioners, roadblocks affecting employment, swaying buildings, and loss of power supply were not accounted for. Future preparedness for natural disasters which will become more extreme due to climate change and needs to account for unforeseen risks.

Championing Health Promoting Schools: A secondary school case study from Victoria, Australia

2020 ◽  
pp. 001789692096112
Author(s):  
Sarah Meiklejohn ◽  
Anna Peeters ◽  
Claire Palermo
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Document Retrieval ◽  
World Health ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
The Impact

Objective: School-based prevention interventions informed by the World Health Organization Health Promoting School (HPS) framework aim to improve the health and wellbeing of school-aged children, yet few studies describe factors influencing the successful implementation of this framework in secondary schools. This study sought to explore why and how secondary schools might implement the HPS framework and factors contributing to success. Design: Qualitative case study. Setting: A single secondary school in Victoria, Australia, purposefully selected due to local recognition of an HPS policy. Method: Data collection included semi-structured interviews, document retrieval, drawings and ethnographic observation. Data were analysed using framework analysis. Results: The school had elected to implement the policy as it aligned with its existing health and wellbeing policy framework and provided a flexible yet evidence-based framework to guide a whole-of-school approach to promoting health and wellbeing. Success was perceived to be dependent on selecting easier health priority areas to address initially, the allocation of a designated team to guide policy implementation and access to a skilled health promotion worker to assist implementation. Conclusion: Study findings highlight potential reasons why and how secondary schools might implement the HPS framework and factors contributing to success. Further research is warranted to enhance the transferability of these findings and explore the impact of the HPS framework in secondary schools.

scholarly journals Kids’ Perceptions toward Children’s Ward Healing Environments: A Case Study of Taiwan University Children’s Hospital

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeng-Chung Woo ◽  
Yi-Ling Lin
Keyword(s):  
Older Children ◽  
Four Dimensions ◽  
Healing Environment ◽  
Children's Hospital ◽  
Space Design ◽  
Grounded Theory Method ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Children’S Hospital ◽  
Healing Environments

This paper summarizes the opinions of experts who participated in designing the environment of a children’s hospital and reports the results of a questionnaire survey conducted among hospital users. The grounded theory method was adopted to analyze 292 concepts, 79 open codes, 25 axial codes, and 4 selective codes; in addition, confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analysis were performed to identify elements for designing a healing environment in a children’s hospital, and 21 elements from 4 dimensions, namely, emotions, space design, interpersonal interaction, and pleasant surroundings, were determined. Subsequently, this study examined the perceptions of 401 children at National Taiwan University Children’s Hospital. The results revealed that, regarding the children’s responses to the four dimensions and their overall perception, younger children accepted the healing environment to a significantly higher degree than did older children. The sex effect was significant for the space design dimension, and it was not significant for the other dimensions.

scholarly journals The impact of the ambient environment and building configuration on occupant productivity in open-plan commercial offices

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 180-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Mulville ◽  
Nicola Callaghan ◽  
David Isaac
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Asset Management ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Active Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ambient Environment ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Active Approach ◽  
Occupant Comfort ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper sets out to understand the impact of the ambient environment on perceived comfort, health, wellbeing and by extension productivity in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach The research combined an occupant survey considering satisfaction with the ambient environment, health and wellbeing and workplace behaviour with the monitoring of ambient environmental conditions. Findings The paper demonstrates that the ambient environment can have a significant impact on occupant comfort, health and wellbeing, which in turn has implications for built asset performance. Within the ambient environmental factors considered, a hierarchy may exist with noise being of particular importance. Occupant behaviour within the workplace was also found to be influential. Research limitations/implications The research was limited to a single commercial office building, and a wider range of case studies would therefore be of benefit. The research was also limited to the summer months. Practical implications The findings show that an active approach to asset management is required, by continuously monitoring internal environment and engaging with occupants. This must carefully consider how ambient environmental factors and workplace behaviour impact upon occupants’ comfort, health and wellbeing to ensure the performance of the built asset is maximised. Originality/value This paper demonstrates that both occupiers’ workplace behaviour and ambient environmental conditions can have an impact on occupant comfort, health, wellbeing and productivity. The paper strengthens the case for the active management of the workplace environment through environmental monitoring and behaviour change campaigns supported by corresponding changes to workplace culture.

scholarly journals Sustainable Use of Cultural Heritage in the Formation of Healing Environments: A Case Study of a Healthcare Facility on a Historic Urban Site

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1866
Author(s):  
Tae Jeong
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Healthcare Facility ◽  
Urban Site ◽  
Healing Environment ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Architectural Styles ◽  
Healing Environments

Seoul National University (SNU) Medical Campus and Hospital has undergone constant changes throughout its history, from its beginnings as the site of Kyungmo Palace, to its later development as Seoul Daehan Hospital. In the process of this change, the campus has become layered with sites of historical and cultural heritage and various architectural styles. This study examines the spatial location of medical/education facilities and their connectivity to heritage sites, and the formation of a “healing environment” that utilizes the historical/cultural heritage of SNU Medical Campus and Hospital, as well as the resulting sustainability of these heritage sites. This is accomplished by analyzing the layout of facilities, the spatial composition of the campus, and historical/cultural factors. The formation of healing environments for healthcare facilities traditionally employs the natural environment, and healing environments in urban areas commonly utilize landscapes. SNU Medical Campus and Hospital is an excellent case study for the future potential of utilizing cultural heritage sites as healing environments. The formation of a healing environment for medical spaces that utilizes the historical and cultural environment gives new meaning to cultural heritage through their sustainable use.

scholarly journals The Influence of Audio-Visual Interactions on Psychological Responses of Young People in Urban Green Areas: A Case Study in Two Parks in China

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 1845 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shilun Zhang ◽  
Xiaolong Zhao ◽  
Zixi Zeng ◽  
Xuan Qiu
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Psychological State ◽  
Visual Context ◽  
Psychological Responses ◽  
Visual Comfort ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Acoustic Comfort ◽  
Visual Interactions ◽  
The Impact

Audio-visual interactions in green spaces are important for mental health and wellbeing. However, the influence of audio-visual interactions on psychological responses is still less clear. This study introduced a new method, namely the audio-visual walk (AV-walk), to obtain data on the audio-visual context, audio-visual experiences, and psychological responses in two typical parks, namely Cloves Park and Music Park in Harbin, China. Some interesting results are as follows: First, based on Pearson’s correlation analysis, sound pressure level and roughness were significantly correlated with psychological responses in Cloves Park (p < 0.05). Second, the results of stepwise regression models showed the impact intensity of acoustic comfort was 1.64–1.68 times higher than that of visual comfort on psychological responses of emotion dimension, while visual comfort was 1.35–1.37 times higher than acoustic comfort on psychological responses of cognition dimension in Music Park. In addition, an orthogonal analysis diagram explained the influence of audio-visual interactions on psychological responses of young people. The audio-visual context located beside the waterscape with a relatively higher level of acoustic and visual comfort was the most cheerful (2.60), relaxed (2.45), and energetic (2.05), while the audio-visual context close to an urban built environment tended to be both acoustically and visually uncomfortable, and the psychological state was decreased to the most depressed (−0.25), anxious (−0.75), fatigued (−1.13) and distracted (−1.13).

scholarly journals The Impact of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) on Women’s Health and Wellbeing in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA): A Case Study of Kenya

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 2180
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Ochola ◽  
Susan J. Elliott ◽  
Diana M. S. Karanja
Keyword(s):  
Women’S Health ◽  
Women's Health ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Tropical Diseases ◽  
Gender Dynamics ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) trap individuals in a cycle of poverty through their devastating effects on health, wellbeing and social–economic capabilities that extend to other axes of inequity such as gender and/or ethnicity. Despite NTDs being regarded as equity tracers, little attention has been paid toward gender dynamics and relationships for gender-equitable access to NTD programs in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This paper examines the impact of NTDs on women’s health and wellbeing in SSA using Kenya as a case study. This research is part of a larger research program designed to examine the impact of NTDs on the health and wellbeing of populations in Kenya. Thematic analysis of key informants’ interviews (n = 21) and focus groups (n = 5) reveals first that NTDs disproportionately affect women and girls due to their assigned gender roles and responsibilities. Second, women face financial and time constraints when accessing health care due to diminished economic power and autonomy. Third, women suffer more from the related social consequences of NTDs (that is, stigma, discrimination and/or abandonment), which affects their health-seeking behavior. As such, we strongly suggest a gender lens when addressing NTD specific exposure, socio-economic inequities, and other gender dynamics that may hinder the successful delivery of NTD programs at the local and national levels.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document