The Impact of landscape on health performance
Abstract
Patients, staff, and visitors are extremely likely to suffer from stress in healthcare environments. Gardens in medical centres help to provide a natural environment that supports healing, improves quality of life, and reduces stress levels. Firstly, this study seeks to evaluate the salutary impact of hospital gardens on visitors, prospective patients, and employees. Secondly, the research focuses on suggesting ways to construct new hospital gardens and increase the restorative capacity of existing ones. 411 people, including 28 medical workers who participated in several workshops, were asked to rate four gardens in four of Klang Valley hospitals. Based on psychological rating scales and semantic differential, the participants were instructed to evaluate the gardens’ healing qualities and appearance. A reference garden (i.e., an ideal healing garden) was also evaluated by the participants. With the highest restorative score, the most natural garden was next to the reference garden in terms of rating. Mood, sense of touch, well-being, tranquillity, nature, and mysticism are the six relevant design factors identified through factor analysis. On the basis of the results obtained, we provided recommendations on how healthcare facility researchers, architects, administrators, and planners could construct hospital gardens to enhance their healing capability. This paper utilizes a technique that makes it possible to assess medical gardens, compare their restorative capacity and appearance, as well as (re)build them.
