Integrating Natural Light for Wellbeing, Performance, and Quality Care Delivery in Healthcare Environments

Abstract

The global challenge of addressing human ill-health demands a re-evaluation of the multifaceted factors impacting health outcomes. Rising health issues in society impose significant burdens on healthcare professionals, affecting their comfort, overall well-being, and performance. While issues like inadequate funding and medical equipment shortages are frequently discussed, a growing recognition centres on the pivotal role that architecture and the built environment play in shaping health outcomes. Poorly designed healthcare facilities contribute to staff shortages and poor care outcomes. Consequently, architecture's transformative potential within the built environment becomes essential in advancing human health, well-being, and productivity.

Interestingly, the impact of a day-lit environment on human health, wellbeing, and performance has been acknowledged, but the statistical significance of these connections remains limited. This research aims to bridge this gap by highlighting the influence of the lighting conditions on personnel well-being, and their subjective performance within healthcare environments.

Conducted over a six-month period within a healthcare facility in Abuja, Nigeria, this study employs a mixed method approach, which include physical measurements, surveys, and semi-structure interviews. To assess personnel well-being and performance, a self-administered questionnaire comprising twenty items is employed. The study explores the correlations between personnel responses and various lighting conditions, with emphasis on daylight. The findings emphasise the influence of lighting conditions on personnel well-being and performance, with daylight emerging as the preferred daytime light source due to its positive impact both wellbeing and performance.

Furthermore, this research identifies intrinsic factors such as age, gender, job roles, and activities as modifiers of human perception and lighting preferences. By adopting an embedded mixed-method design, this study broadens the horizons of investigations into human performance across diverse buildings and climates. Importantly, it not only enriches the theoretical underpinnings of architectural and environmental psychology but also lays a solid foundation for future enquiries into the ways in which indoor lighting influences wellbeing and performance, serving as a crucial reference point for further advancements in healthcare architecture and design. Overall, this research underscores the indispensable role of daylit architectural design and environmental planning in fostering improved well-being and optimal performance among healthcare personnel.