ABSTRACT
Interior design (ID) pedagogy should include theories and applications, which advance human health and wellness in the built environment. Design for wellness and well-being is referenced in 5 of the 13 Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) knowledge application standards. This focus on wellness was amplified during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic experience, which elevated our collective understanding of contagions, disease transmission, sanitation practices, vaccination efficacy, and immunity, as well as the devastating turmoil-social, economic, and psychological-of the pandemic's tragic spread. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine ID educators' attitudes, intentions, and behaviors related to teaching wellness and to determine if the pandemic impacted wellness pedagogy. For this mixed methods study, we employed an online survey (n = 86) followed by participant interviews (n = 11). Data from the questionnaire and interviews suggested that peer attitudes toward wellness were a significant factor that influenced teaching behavior. Teaching intentions were predicted by prior teaching, attitudes, and perceived behavioral control (ability to teach wellness). Although experience with the pandemic was not a predictor of teaching behavior, it did surface as a strong motivator for future teaching adjustments. Findings also showed wide-ranging understandings and definitions of wellness-related themes. Implications for design programs seeking to equip faculty with the tools needed to integrate wellness more deeply into ID curricula are discussed.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This report of empirical literature on ambulatory care centers (ACCs) addresses a gap in the healthcare field by exploring physical features of ACC settings that have been associated with favorable patient outcomes. BACKGROUND: Growing numbers of ACCs correspond with an increasing shift from inpatient to outpatient services. As the focus of ACCs shifts from treating episodes of illnesses to comprehensive, longitudinal, patient-centered care, different types of ACC settings seek to accommodate a variety of patient groups from different demographics. METHODS: Given the range of ACC settings and population types and the paucity of literature focused on any one of these settings, the literature search process was broad based to include not only peer-reviewed literature, but also "gray literature" on ACC design. The primary focus was on research studies and reports that centered on some aspect of the physical environment in ACCs and their relationship to outcomes in these settings. RESULTS: The following patient outcomes were identified in different phases of ACC patient experience: improved access and wayfinding, enhanced waiting experience, enhanced privacy, enhanced physician/staff-patient communication, reduced patient anxiety, and reduced risk of infection. CONCLUSIONS: This article identifies physical design features of ACCs that can promote favorable patient outcomes. However, most literature reviewed adheres to a physician-centered model of episodic illness in which care ends with the experience in the exam room of the ACC. A more patient-centered approach has not been explored fully in the literature. The results indicate that there are many opportunities for future inquiry.
