Architecture and Mental Disorders: A Systematic Study of Peer-Reviewed Literature.

OBJECTIVES: To perform a systematic study about the contribution of architecture and interior design researchers in studying the effect of physical environment on mental disorders. BACKGROUND: Mental disorders are a major health problem worldwide and related to severe distress, functional disabilities, and heavy economical burdens. Studies propose that physical environment design can trigger or reduce mental disorder symptoms. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the extent of architectural design research contribution to all types of mental disorder prevention or intervention. METHODS: A team of cross-disciplinary researchers gathered information from peer-reviewed manuscripts about the effect of architectural design on enhancing or reducing mental disorder symptoms. Data were collected from manuscripts published between 2008 and 2020 (research related to the topic became clearer in quality and quantity then). Keywords including architecture, interior design, physical environment, and mental disorders were used in the systematic search. Databases were collected using online resources. Numerical data collected from quantitative studies were organized in tables. RESULTS: Our data showed that there were a lot of studies about dementia and autism; few studies about schizophrenia, anxiety, stress-related disorders, and depressive disorders; and no studies about the rest of the mental disorders. General environment followed by housing facility design were the most assessed physical environments for mental disorders. CONCLUSIONS: As all mental disorders can have a significant impact on the society, we conclude that architectural studies should focus more on improving or preventing the symptoms of all types of mental disorders through the design of physical environments.

A Scoping Literature Review of Dementia-Friendly Hospital Design.

Purpose: We report the findings of a knowledge synthesis research project on the topic of dementia-friendly acute care (D-FAC) design. This exploratory project systematically mapped what is known about D-FAC physical design in hospitals. We discuss our challenges in locating reportable evidence and the implications of such design for maximizing independent function while ensuring safety and harm reduction in older people living with dementia. Design and Methods: Exploratory iterative design utilizing scoping literature review methodology. Results: A total of 28 primary studies plus expert reviewers' narratives on the impact of design and architectural features on independent function of hospitalized older people with dementia were included and evaluated. Items were mapped to key design elements to describe a D-FAC environment. This scoping review project confirms the limited nature of available acute care design evidence on maximizing function. Implications: Physical design influences the usability and activity undertaken in a health care space and ultimately affects patient outcomes. Achieving safe quality hospital care for older people living with dementia is particularly challenging. Evidence of design principle effectiveness is needed that can be applied to general medical and surgical units where the bulk of older persons with and without dementia are treated.