Acoustics for Supportive and Healthy Buildings: Emerging Themes on Indoor Soundscape Research

The focus of the building industry and research is shifting from delivering satisfactory spaces to going beyond what is merely acceptable with a wave of new research and practice dedicated to exploring how the built environment can support task performance and enhance people’s health and well-being. The present study addresses the role of acoustics in this paradigm shift. Indoor soundscape research has recently emerged as an approach that brings a perceptual perspective on building and room acoustics in order to shape built environments that “sound good” according to building occupants’ preference and needs. This paper establishes an initial discussion over some of the open questions in this field of research that is still in an embryonic stage. A thematic analysis of structured interviews with a panel of experts offered a range of perspectives on the characterization, management, and design of indoor soundscapes and health-related outcomes. The discussion pointed out the importance of both perceptual and multisensory research and integrated participatory design practices to enable a holistic view regarding the complex building–user interrelations and the design of just cities. Soundscape methodologies tailored to the peculiarities of indoor soundscapes can help to measure and predict the human perceptual response to the acoustic stimuli in context, thus reducing the risk of mismatches between expected and real building experiences. This perceptual perspective is expected to widen the scientific evidence for the negative and positive impacts of the acoustic environment on human health, well-being, and quality of life. This will support prioritizing the role of acoustics in building design and challenge many current design practices that are based on a noise control approach.

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Identifying the Influence of Supervisors on Strengthening Climate and Culture for Creating Value

Journal of Creating Value ◽

10.1177/2394964320921064 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 97-118

Author(s):

Lucio R. Lescano Duncan

Keyword(s):

Corporate Culture ◽

Value Creation ◽

New Technologies ◽

Well Being ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Corporate Values ◽

Holistic View ◽

Holistic Vision ◽

New Strategies

Most of the studies about value creation have been focused on economic and social value. To create value, it is necessary to have a holistic vision that integrates economical, psychological-social and ethical aspects. Likewise, studies have concentrated on the role of top management through the formulation of new strategies, implementation of new technologies, operational models, etc. The influence of supervisors, the first line of command, has not sufficiently been identified in relation to value creation. Some studies have analysed climate and culture as important factors for employees’ well-being, satisfaction and engagement but little attention has been paid to creating value. We analysed how supervisors strengthen climate and culture in order to create three types of value: ethical, social and economical. As value creation is a social event always co-created, we utilized an organizational model to present a holistic view for creating value. We collected data from 129 supervisors of large and medium companies through semi-structured interviews to know their perspectives related to: (a) creating employees’ experiences and (b) sharing corporate values. We identified the influence that supervisors exert in relation to climate experiences and corporate culture values, executed a programme for developing a leadership focused on creating value and applied a survey to verify the results achieved.

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The Impact on Well-Being of Experiences at Cultural Events

Event Management ◽

10.3727/152599521x16192004803638 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Valentina Gorchakova ◽

Kenneth F. Hyde

Keyword(s):

Social Interactions ◽

Well Being ◽

Emotional Engagement ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Art Galleries ◽

Special Events ◽

Research Findings ◽

Favourable Environment ◽

The Impact

Major international cultural exhibitions, often referred to as touring ‘blockbuster’ exhibitions (TBEs), are arguably among the most stimulating and engaging event experiences. The role of orchestrating an experience that is meaningful and memorable has captured the attention of scholars in the events literature over recent decades. The aims of this paper are to re-conceptualise major international cultural exhibitions as special events, present a framework of the experiences these exhibitions generate for visitors, and explore the roles such experiences play in visitor well-being. The study draws on the findings of qualitative research conducted in Australia and New Zealand. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives of art galleries and museums in Melbourne, Canberra, Auckland, and Wellington involved in hosting ‘blockbuster’ exhibitions, as well as representatives of regional cultural, tourism, and events organisations. This paper presents a ‘3Es’ experience realms framework, which comprises the key experiences that a major cultural and arts event generates for visitors: entertainment, enrichment, and emotional engagement. The first realm of the 3Es framework, entertainment, has encountered scepticism in the museum field; however, research findings here corroborate the arguments of those scholars who hold that entertainment may help to engage visitors and facilitate education. Enrichment comprises the creation of a favourable environment for new knowledge to be processed, and the enhancement of knowledge. The third realm is an emotionally engaging experience that results from social interactions, activities, and contemplation of and learning about unique exhibits. The framework demonstrates an interplay of these three major experiential dimensions and visitors’ hedonic and eudaemonic well-being. Exhibition and event organisers can utilise this framework to plan the delivery of memorable experiences for visitors and explore the ways in which their event can be made enjoyable, enriching, and emotionally engaging.

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Team Managers in Local Social Service Departments in Israel as Bottom-Up Social Policy-Makers

Journal of Health and Human Services Administration ◽

10.37808/jhhsa.43.4.1 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 324-345

Keyword(s):

Social Workers ◽

Social Services ◽

Social Service ◽

Public Discourse ◽

Well Being ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Psychosocial Services ◽

Service Departments ◽

New Policies

Following on Felice Perlmutter's work on the managerial role of social workers in social services, this article contributes to the still limited knowledge on the role of social workers in middle-management positions in formulating new policies `on the ground`. The study expands knowledge about policies determined by team managers in local social service departments in Israel. It occurs in the nexus between street-level bureaucracy, professionalism and managerial positions. Semi-structured interviews with 28 team managers revealed that they formulated `new` policies with regard to the provision of psychosocial services and material assistance (who gets what, when and how). This occurs when they resist official policy, when it is vague or non-existent. Most of their policy decisions are not documented and draw upon consultations with colleagues and superiors though not with clients. The team managers perceive these policies as a means for achieving balance between clients' well-being and budgetary constraints. Yet their decisions lack transparency, are decided upon without public discourse and may lead to greater inequity between clients

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Participatory Design Practices in Mental Health in the UK: Rebutting the Optimism

Design Issues ◽

10.1162/desi_a_00509 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 34 (4) ◽

pp. 25-36 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Paola Pierri

Keyword(s):

Professional Practice ◽

Participatory Design ◽

Complex Dynamics ◽

Community Organizations ◽

Political Engagement ◽

Public Realm ◽

The Public ◽

Design Practices ◽

The Uk

In what has been defined as an “era of participation,” design practices have become very central to the process of making publics and in bringing to life the dream of developing new ways of political engagement. By reflecting on my professional practice, I highlight the overly optimistic attitude that—most of the time—over-simplifies the role of design, especially when applied in public and community organizations. I illustrate participation as a paradox in itself, by problematizing the role and meaning of participatory encounters, and revealing some complex dynamics of exclusion and self-exclusion that are at play in the public realm.

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The impact of the acoustic environment on human emotion and experience: A case study of worship spaces

Building Acoustics ◽

10.1177/1351010x211068850 ◽

2022 ◽

pp. 1351010X2110688

Author(s):

Alaa Algargoosh ◽

Babak Soleimani ◽

Sile O’Modhrain ◽

Mojtaba Navvab

Keyword(s):

Deep Understanding ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Report ◽

Response Analysis ◽

Emotional Impact ◽

Acoustic Characteristics ◽

Acoustic Environment ◽

Auditory Experience ◽

The Impact

People’s interactions with the environment shape their experiences. Thus, understanding these interactions is critical to enhancing human well-being. Aural attributes play a significant role in shaping the perception of space in addition to visual attributes. It is well known that sounds evoke an emotional response, but less is known about how the acoustic characteristics of environments reinforce such an emotional impact. By adopting virtual reality as a platform for recreating 3D sounds and 360° visuals of built environments of worship spaces as case studies, this study aims to investigate the influence of the acoustic environment considering audiovisual congruency on enhancing the human experience through self-report and physiological response analysis. It also examines the role of cultural background in terms of familiarity with the acoustic environment. The convergent mixed-methods approach, merging both quantitative and qualitative analysis, provides a deep understanding of the role of the acoustic environment in enhancing the auditory experience. The results show that the acoustic environment and audiovisual congruency amplify the intensity of the emotional impact, and the amplification of the impact can vary depending on the acoustic environment of the building. They also reveal that familiarity with sound and acoustic characteristics can increase this impact.

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Deregulation and the Assault on Science and the Environment

Annual Review of Public Health ◽

10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094056 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

pp. 347-361 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jonathan M. Samet ◽

Thomas A. Burke

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Environmental Pollution ◽

Reasoned Action ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Research To Policy ◽

Health And Well Being

The quality of the environment is a major determinant of the health and well-being of a population. The role of scientific evidence is central in the network of laws addressing environmental pollution in the United States and has been critical in addressing the myriad sources of environmental pollution and the burden of disease attributable to environmental factors. We address the shift away from reasoned action and science to a reliance on belief and document the efforts to separate regulation from science and to remove science-based regulations and policies intended to protect public health. We outline the general steps for moving from research to policy, show how each has been undermined, offer specific examples, and point to resources that document the enormity of the current efforts to set aside scientific evidence.

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‘Physical appearance and well-being in adults with incurable cancer: a thematic analysis’

BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care ◽

10.1136/bmjspcare-2020-002632 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. bmjspcare-2020-002632

Author(s):

Philippa Tollow ◽

Jane Ogden ◽

Candida S McCabe ◽

Diana Harcourt

Keyword(s):

Thematic Analysis ◽

Psychosocial Support ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Well Being ◽

Emotional Impact ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Incurable Cancer ◽

The Impact ◽

Appearance Changes

ObjectivesExisting research has established the importance of appearance concerns for individuals with cancer and identified appearance as an important factor in dying with dignity. No research, however, has explored in depth the role of appearance in the experiences of individuals who have incurable cancer. This research aims to explore patients’ experiences and perspectives in relation to the role of appearance issues in adults with incurable cancer.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 adults with incurable cancer (20 women, 4 men; mean age 54.5, SD 11.32).ResultsThematic analysis generated three themes: ‘Identity: Embodying Cancer’, ‘Communication: Wearing your illness’ and ‘Support: Holistic Care’. Appearance was felt to be an important element of identity, which was often dominated by cancer, leading to feelings of separation from the participant’s previous self. Appearance changes also influenced the way in which individuals communicated with their external world, forcing discussion of their diagnosis, and increasing focus on their cancer, with participants having to manage the emotional impact of this on loved ones, as well as the impact on their legacy. Finally, participants highlighted the positive impact of appearance-related support in their well-being and identified peer connections and refocusing on the self as key elements of such support.ConclusionsAppearance changes play an important role in the experiences of individuals with incurable cancer with regards to both identity and communication and challenged participants’ ability to maintain normalcy. Further psychosocial support relating to appearance concerns was considered necessary to promote dignity and provide truly holistic patient care.

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The Role of MIR9-2 in Shared Susceptibility of Psychiatric Disorders during Childhood: A Population-Based Birth Cohort Study

Genes ◽

10.3390/genes10080626 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 626

Author(s):

Luciana Tovo-Rodrigues ◽

Gabriela Quinte ◽

Clarice Brum ◽

Gabriele Ghisleni ◽

Clarissa Bastos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychiatric Disorders ◽

Birth Cohort ◽

Well Being ◽

Externalizing Disorders ◽

Population Based ◽

Current Data ◽

Birth Cohort Study ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Protein Coding

Background: It has been suggested that microRNAs (miRNAs; short non-protein-coding RNA molecules that mediate post-transcriptional regulation), including mir-9 and mir-34 families, are important for brain development. Current data suggest that mir-9 and mir-34 may have shared effects across psychiatric disorders. This study aims to explore the role of genetic polymorphisms in the MIR9-2 (rs4916723) and MIR34B/C (rs4938723) genes on the susceptibility of psychiatric disorders in children from the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort. Methods: Psychiatric disorders were assessed in 3585 individuals using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV), criteria through the application of standard semi-structured interviews (using the Development and Well-Being Assessment, DAWBA) at the six-years-of-age follow-up. The outcome was defined as the presence of any mental disorder. We also considered two broad groups of internalizing and externalizing disorders to further investigate the role of these variants in mental health. Results: We observed an association between rs4916723 (MIR9-2) and the presence of any psychiatric disorder (odds ratios (OR) = 0.820; 95% CI = 0.7130–0.944; p = 0.006) and a suggestive effect on internalizing disorders (OR = 0.830; 95% CI = 0.698–0.987; p = 0.035). rs4938723 (MIR34B/C) was not associated with any evaluated outcome. Conclusion: The study suggests that MIR9-2 may have an important role on a broad susceptibility for psychiatric disorders and may be important mainly for internalization problems.

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Community Supported Agriculture as a Driver of Food-Related Well-Being

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12114516 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (11) ◽

pp. 4516 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ilona Liliána Birtalan ◽

Attila Bartha ◽

Ágnes Neulinger ◽

György Bárdos ◽

Attila Oláh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Research ◽

Sustainable Agriculture ◽

Research Design ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

Well Being ◽

Community Supported Agriculture ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Qualitative Research Design ◽

Nutritional Characteristics

Background: There is a growing amount of research interest to understand the role of food in well-being. The demand for community supported agriculture (CSA), bringing people spatially, economically, and socially closer to food, is continuously expanding. CSAs play an important role in both sustainable agriculture practices and influencing consumers’ food-related practices, but yet have received little attention in well-being research. Methods: This study explores food-related well-being among CSA members by using an exploratory, qualitative research design and a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews. Results: The findings stress the relevance of psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of food-related well-being beyond the nutritional characteristics of food in CSA. Conclusion: The role of sustainable agriculture in contributing to food-related well-being becomes particularly evident based on consumers’ experiences. These results are important in convincing people that their food-related experiences belong to their perceived well-being as well as stimulating people to elevate their multidimensional expectations in relation to food.

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Adapting to ulcerative colitis to try to live a ‘normal’ life: a qualitative study of patients’ experiences in the Midlands region of England

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2017-017544 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (8) ◽

pp. e017544 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Christel McMullan ◽

Thomas D Pinkney ◽

Laura L Jones ◽

Laura Magill ◽

Dmitri Nepogodiev ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ulcerative Colitis ◽

Well Being ◽

Adaptation Strategies ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Qualitative Research Study ◽

Normal Life ◽

East Midlands ◽

Registration Number ◽

Patients Experience

ObjectiveTo provide a framework that is able to categorise whether patients are able to adapt to and lead a ‘normal’ life with ulcerative colitis (UC) and to detail the factors that influence this.DesignQualitative research study using in-depth semi-structured interviews.SettingFour clinical sites in the West and East Midlands regions of England.Participants28 adult patients diagnosed with UC for years between 1 and 22.ResultsMedication was rarely sufficient for patients to adapt to UC and live as ‘normal’ a life as possible. Virtually all patients tested and adopted non-medical adaptation methods to improve physical and psychological well-being, to help them carry on working and to prevent embarrassment. In addition, some patients benefited from outside support providing them with practical, emotional and/or financial help. In conjunction with adaptation strategies and the time to adapt, this meant that some patients with severe clinical disease were able to maintain a sense of normality in life. Patients reported that clinicians were not always receptive to discussion of the broader context of life with UC.ConclusionsPatients’ experience of UC and their ability to adapt in order to maintain a sense of normality in life is a complex interplay of symptoms, adaptation strategies and outside support. Over time patients test out a variety of non-medical adaptation strategies. Awareness of this may help clinicians and researchers to understand patients’ views on the role of medical and other therapies. Further research around the utility of this framework in clinical practice and research is now required.Trial registration numberISRCTN56523019, results.

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