Using Discrete Choice Methodology to Explore the Impact of Patient Room Window Design on Hospital Choice.

Evidence-based design has been fundamental to designing healthcare environments for patient outcomes and experience, yet few studies have studied how design factors drive patient choice. 652 patients who recently received care at hospitals across the United States were administered an online discrete choice survey to investigate the factors playing into their choice between hypothetical hospitals. Discrete choice models are widely used to model patient preferences among treatment alternatives, but few studies have utilized this approach to investigate healthcare design alternatives.

Exploring the Relationship between Window View Quantity, Quality, and Ratings of Care in the Hospital.

Hospital ratings reflect patient satisfaction, consumer perception of care, and create the context for quality improvement in healthcare settings. Despite an abundance of studies on the health benefits of the presence and content of window views, there is a gap in research examining how these features may impact patient satisfaction and consumer perceptions of the quality of care received. A quantitative exploratory study collected data from 652 participants regarding their previous stay in the hospital, their perception of windows in their room, and their perception of their room, the hospital, and the quality of care received.

Access to Daylight at Home Improves Circadian Alignment, Sleep, and Mental Health in Healthy Adults: A Crossover Study.

As the primary environmental cue for the body's master biological clock, light-dark patterns are key for circadian alignment and are ultimately fundamental to multiple dimensions of health including sleep and mental health. Although daylight provides the proper qualities of light for promoting circadian alignment, our modern indoor lifestyles offer fewer opportunities for adequate daylight exposure. This field study explores how increasing circadian-effective light in residences affects circadian phase, sleep, vitality, and mental health.

The Impact of Optimized Daylight and Views on the Sleep Duration and Cognitive Performance of Office Workers.

A growing awareness has recently emerged on the health benefits of exposure to daylight and views. Daylight exposure is linked to circadian rhythm regulation, which can have significant impacts on sleep quality and cognitive function. Views of nature have also been shown to impact emotional affect and performance.

Playground lead levels in rubber, soil, sand, and mulch surfaces in Boston.

Rubber surfacing is often used in playgrounds due to its potential injury prevention benefits and as a way to recycle waste tires. Available research on chemicals in recycled rubber has focused on synthetic turf applications, but is limited for playground rubber surfacing. Potential lead contamination from vulcanizing agents used in rubber surfacing are a possible concern; however this has not been researched.

Lead in Air in Bangladesh: Exposure in a Rural Community with Elevated Blood Lead Concentrations among Young Children.

Previous evaluations of a birth cohort in the Munshiganj District of Bangladesh had found that over 85% of 397 children aged 2⁻3 years had blood lead concentrations above the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's reference level of 5 μg/dL. Studies in urban areas of Bangladesh have found elevated levels of lead in the air due to industries and remaining contamination from the historic use of leaded gasoline. Sources of lead in rural areas of Bangladesh remain unknown.