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© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Neuroscience and biological evidence emphasizes the profound influence of natural light on human health, offering benefits such as reducing fatigue, heightened alertness in healthcare providers, and improving patient outcomes. The objective of this review is to identify scientific studies and research to evaluate and report evidence of indoor lighting conditions’ influence on health outcomes, which can be used to develop lighting designs that align circadian rhythms in healthcare settings. A comprehensive search was conducted to identify rigorous empirical studies focused on the link between interior lighting conditions with health outcomes in the healthcare environment. For a comprehensive review of the existing literature, a four-phased methodology was employed including literature search, screening, and selection. Literature appraisals were conducted to determine the relevance and quality of evidence for each study identified. In addition, using a thematic analysis, patterns were identified, analyzed, and interpreted within the literature review. Accordingly, the results were organized into two main groups interventional human subjects and simulation-based studies. Despite evidence that natural light influences human health and happiness, a synthesis of reviewed studies suggests that the evidence for the benefits of artificial lighting in healthcare settings is less conclusive, with potential factors including variations in lighting design, inconsistent implementation of lighting interventions, and differing sample populations across studies. We conclude with an executive summary suggesting that future research should use standardized metrics and methods to focus on bridging the gap between theoretical understanding and practical application in lighting design for healthcare environments. Collaboration among architects, designers, lighting experts, and healthcare professionals can address these factors contributing to building a stronger evidence-based design for the benefits of artificial lighting in healthcare settings.

Details

Title
An Architectural Solution to a Biological Problem: A Systematic Review of Lighting Designs in Healthcare Environments
Author
Hosseini, Seyedeh Nazli 1 ; Walton, James C 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; SheikhAnsari, Iman 3 ; Kreidler, Nicole 4 ; Nelson, Randy J 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 School of Design and Community Development, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA; [email protected]; Department of Neuroscience, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA; [email protected] (J.C.W.); [email protected] (R.J.N.) 
 Department of Neuroscience, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA; [email protected] (J.C.W.); [email protected] (R.J.N.) 
 School of Architecture and Urban Design, Art University of Isfahan, Isfahan 81486-33661, Iran; [email protected] 
 School of Design and Community Development, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA; [email protected] 
First page
2945
Publication year
2024
Publication date
2024
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
20763417
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3037385543
Copyright
© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.