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Assessing the Supportiveness of Healthcare Environments’ Light and Color : Development and Validation of the Light and Color Questionnaire (LCQ)

Lindahl, Jeanette ; Thulesius, Hans LU ; Rask, Mikael LU ; Wijk, Helle LU ; Edvardsson, David and Elmqvist, Carina (2021) In Health Environments Research and Design Journal 14(2). p.130-144
Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a self-report instrument measuring patients’, family members’, and staff’s perceived support from light and color in the physical environment of an emergency department (ED)—the Light and Color Questionnaire (LCQ). Background: The physical care environment is an important part of a comprehensive caring approach in all levels of care not only for patients but also for family members and staff. However, no existing self-report questionnaire assessing the extent to which light and color are perceived as being supportive in the physical care environment from the users’ perspective was found. Method: The LCQ was developed as part of a pre–post study in which an ED serving 125,000 people... (More)

Aim: The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a self-report instrument measuring patients’, family members’, and staff’s perceived support from light and color in the physical environment of an emergency department (ED)—the Light and Color Questionnaire (LCQ). Background: The physical care environment is an important part of a comprehensive caring approach in all levels of care not only for patients but also for family members and staff. However, no existing self-report questionnaire assessing the extent to which light and color are perceived as being supportive in the physical care environment from the users’ perspective was found. Method: The LCQ was developed as part of a pre–post study in which an ED serving 125,000 people was refurbished and remodeled using evidence-based design. The LCQ consists of six items for light and five items for color and assesses awareness/orientation, safety/security, functional abilities, privacy, personal control, and stimulation. The study was carried out in four steps: constructions of items, assessment of face validity, data collection, and data analysis. Result/Conclusion: Psychometric evaluation of the two versions, LCQ-Patient/Family member and LCQ-Staff, showed satisfactory content and internal validity (>90%) and high internal consistency (Cronbach’s coefficient α =.9) to support the use of the questionnaire for research and development purposes. Explorative factor analysis of a total of 600 questionnaire responses confirmed light and color as distinctive and independent dimensions creating perceptions of more or less supportiveness for respondents. The LCQ instrument may be useful for architects, administrators, and researchers of healthcare environments.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
color, emergency department, family members, instrument development, light, patients, physical care environment, psychometrics, self-reported questionnaire, staff
in
Health Environments Research and Design Journal
volume
14
issue
2
pages
15 pages
publisher
Center for Health Design
external identifiers
  • scopus:85096875867
  • pmid:33251862
ISSN
1937-5867
DOI
10.1177/1937586720975209
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1ff379bb-8573-42fd-8d12-e3f204eefe03
date added to LUP
2020-12-14 10:48:58
date last changed
2024-04-17 20:58:02
@article{1ff379bb-8573-42fd-8d12-e3f204eefe03,
  abstract     = {{<p>Aim: The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a self-report instrument measuring patients’, family members’, and staff’s perceived support from light and color in the physical environment of an emergency department (ED)—the Light and Color Questionnaire (LCQ). Background: The physical care environment is an important part of a comprehensive caring approach in all levels of care not only for patients but also for family members and staff. However, no existing self-report questionnaire assessing the extent to which light and color are perceived as being supportive in the physical care environment from the users’ perspective was found. Method: The LCQ was developed as part of a pre–post study in which an ED serving 125,000 people was refurbished and remodeled using evidence-based design. The LCQ consists of six items for light and five items for color and assesses awareness/orientation, safety/security, functional abilities, privacy, personal control, and stimulation. The study was carried out in four steps: constructions of items, assessment of face validity, data collection, and data analysis. Result/Conclusion: Psychometric evaluation of the two versions, LCQ-Patient/Family member and LCQ-Staff, showed satisfactory content and internal validity (&gt;90%) and high internal consistency (Cronbach’s coefficient α =.9) to support the use of the questionnaire for research and development purposes. Explorative factor analysis of a total of 600 questionnaire responses confirmed light and color as distinctive and independent dimensions creating perceptions of more or less supportiveness for respondents. The LCQ instrument may be useful for architects, administrators, and researchers of healthcare environments.</p>}},
  author       = {{Lindahl, Jeanette and Thulesius, Hans and Rask, Mikael and Wijk, Helle and Edvardsson, David and Elmqvist, Carina}},
  issn         = {{1937-5867}},
  keywords     = {{color; emergency department; family members; instrument development; light; patients; physical care environment; psychometrics; self-reported questionnaire; staff}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{04}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{130--144}},
  publisher    = {{Center for Health Design}},
  series       = {{Health Environments Research and Design Journal}},
  title        = {{Assessing the Supportiveness of Healthcare Environments’ Light and Color : Development and Validation of the Light and Color Questionnaire (LCQ)}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1937586720975209}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/1937586720975209}},
  volume       = {{14}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}