Short answer

Design healthcare environments for adolescents by focusing on elements that grant them a sense of control, privacy, and opportunities for both social interaction and personal space, thereby fostering a more positive and healing experience.

Field: User-Centred Design
Source: UKnowledge (University of Kentucky) (2011)
Method: Mixed-methods survey
Sample: 32 participants
Evidence: Moderate effect

Adolescent patients in hospitals prioritize privacy and control over their environment, preferring home-like patient rooms and engaging, controllable activity spaces to positively impact their quality of life. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2011 study published in UKnowledge (University of Kentucky). Using Mixed-methods survey with 32 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Design healthcare environments for adolescents by focusing on elements that grant them a sense of control, privacy, and opportunities for both social interaction and personal space, thereby fostering a more positive and healing experience.

Study

User-Centred DesignHigh ImpactModerate effect

Adolescent Hospital Rooms: Prioritizing Privacy and Control for Enhanced Well-being

UKnowledge (University of Kentucky) · 2011

Key Findings

01Adolescent patients prefer a home-like environment in their patient rooms for comfort and privacy.
02Adolescents value controllable activity rooms that facilitate peer connection, self-identity, and stress reduction.
03Key environmental values include control of privacy, quiet spaces, areas for activity, and controllable outside views.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

When designing or renovating hospital spaces for adolescents, involve them in the design process by conducting workshops or surveys to understand their specific needs for privacy, comfort, and engagement.

Project actions

01When researching user needs, consider the specific developmental stage of your target audience.
02Use a variety of methods to gather qualitative and quantitative data on user preferences.

Method & Evidence

AimWhat are the environmental preferences of adolescent patients in hospital settings, and how do these preferences relate to their perceived quality of life?

MethodMixed-methods survey

ProcedureAdolescent outpatients completed surveys assessing their emotional state and demographics, analyzed photographs using semantic differentials, and ranked environmental preferences.

Sample32 participants

ContextHospital patient rooms and activity rooms for adolescent patients

Variables

IV["Environmental features (e.g., home-like elements, privacy controls, activity room features, outdoor views)","Emotional state (comfort, sadness, stress)"]

DV["Environmental preferences","Perceived quality of life"]

CV["Age range of participants (15-18)","Participant demographic information"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Utilized a mixed-methods approach to gather comprehensive data.
+Focused on a specific, often overlooked, user group (adolescents) in a healthcare context.

Limitations

The sample size is relatively small, and the study was conducted in a specific hospital setting, which might limit the generalizability of the findings.

Reliability & validity

The use of multiple data collection instruments (emotional state survey, photo analysis, preference survey) enhances the validity of the findings. Reliability could be improved by using standardized scales for emotional state and preference ranking.

Think critically

How might the findings on adolescent preferences for privacy and control be adapted for other age groups or different types of institutional settings?

Design Principles

"Empower adolescent patients through environmental design that respects their need for privacy, control, and social connection."

Understanding the specific environmental needs of adolescent patients is crucial for designing healthcare spaces that support their emotional and psychological well-being. This insight guides the creation of healing environments that acknowledge their developmental stage and desire for autonomy.

What This Means for Your Design

Teenagers in hospitals want their rooms to feel more like home, with privacy and control. They also want fun places to hang out with friends or be alone, where they can choose what to do.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when justifying design choices that prioritize user comfort, privacy, and control in healthcare settings.
2.Use the findings to inform the user research phase of your design project, particularly when targeting adolescent users.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

Research by Kim (2011) indicates that adolescent hospital patients strongly prefer environments that offer a sense of privacy and control, akin to a home setting, to enhance their comfort and quality of life. This suggests that design interventions should focus on creating adaptable spaces that allow for personalization and autonomy, particularly in patient rooms and communal activity areas.

Source

UKnowledge (University of Kentucky)

HEALING HEALTHCARE DESIGN FOR ADOLESCENT PATIENTS: PROMOTING HOLISTIC QUALITY OF LIFE

journal · 2011

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about adolescent hospital rooms: prioritizing privacy and control for enhanced well-being?: Design healthcare environments for adolescents by focusing on elements that grant them a sense of control, privacy, and opportunities for both social interaction and personal space, thereby fostering a more positive and healing experience. Evidence: UKnowledge (University of Kentucky) (2011).
Why does "Adolescent Hospital Rooms: Prioritizing Privacy and Control for Enhanced Well-being" matter for design?: Understanding the specific environmental needs of adolescent patients is crucial for designing healthcare spaces that support their emotional and psychological well-being. This insight guides the creation of healing environments that acknowledge their developmental stage and desire for autonomy.
How can designers apply this research?: Design healthcare environments for adolescents by focusing on elements that grant them a sense of control, privacy, and opportunities for both social interaction and personal space, thereby fostering a more positive and healing experience.
What were the main findings?: Adolescent patients prefer a home-like environment in their patient rooms for comfort and privacy.. Adolescents value controllable activity rooms that facilitate peer connection, self-identity, and stress reduction.. Key environmental values include control of privacy, quiet spaces, areas for activity, and controllable outside views.
What research method was used?: Mixed-methods survey with 32 participants.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2011 journal from UKnowledge (University of Kentucky).
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing or renovating hospital spaces for adolescents, involve them in the design process by conducting workshops or surveys to understand their specific needs for privacy, comfort, and engagement.
What are the limitations?: The study focused on a specific age range (15-18) and may not generalize to younger adolescents or different patient populations. The emotional state of participants at the time of the survey could influence their responses.