Interpretation of way-finding healthcare symbols by a multicultural population: Navigation signage design for global health

Hashim, M. Jawad; Alkaabi, Mariam; Bharwani, Sulaiman

doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2013.07.002

Cited by 47 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Sime, 1999;Dogu & Erkip, 2000;Rousek & Hallbeck, 2011;Waterson et al, 2012;Hashim et al, 2014), inadequate signage was a frequent issue highlighted by focus groups and event observations in the present study. Event observations encountered clear, simple, easily identifiable signage, placed high above the crowd.…”

Section: Communication Of Information: Signage and Wayfindingmentioning

confidence: 85%

Factors influencing experience in crowds – The participant perspective

et al. 2017

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Humans encounter crowd situations on a daily basis, resulting in both negative and positive experiences. Understanding how to optimise the participant experience of crowds is important. In the study presented in this paper, 5 focus groups were conducted (35 participants, age range: 21-71 years) and 55 crowd situations observed (e.g. transport hubs, sport events, retail situations). Influences on participant experience in crowds identified by the focus groups and observations included: physical design of crowd space and facilities (layout, queuing strategies), crowd movement (monitoring capacity, pedestrian flow), communication and information (signage, wayfinding), comfort and welfare (provision of facilities, environmental comfort), and public order. It was found that important aspects affecting participant experience are often not considered systematically in the planning of events or crowd situations. The findings point to human factors aspects of crowds being overlooked, with the experiences of participants often poor.

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Section: Communication Of Information: Signage and Wayfindingmentioning

confidence: 85%

Factors influencing experience in crowds – The participant perspective

et al. 2017

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“…Hashim, Alkaabi and Bharwani [67] also point to the need to test signage with participants from a range of cultures as well as age and literacy ranges. Their research employed the symbols developed in the Hablamos Juntos project.…”

Section: Wayfindingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The results suggest the need to test the symbols on participants varying along a wide spectrum of education; those with higher levels of education were likely to have high recognition. “In an era of global health, massive international travel and highly multicultural communities, there remains a pressing need for easily recognizable, universal way-finding signs for healthcare facilities” [67] (p. 509). Problems occur with the use of monolingual text, religious references (like the cross), and trademarks, such as the Red Cross.…”

Section: Wayfindingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wayfinding in Healthcare Facilities: Contributions from Environmental Psychology

Devlin

2014

Behavioral Sciences

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The ability to successfully navigate in healthcare facilities is an important goal for patients, visitors, and staff. Despite the fundamental nature of such behavior, it is not infrequent for planners to consider wayfinding only after the fact, once the building or building complex is complete. This review argues that more recognition is needed for the pivotal role of wayfinding in healthcare facilities. First, to provide context, the review presents a brief overview of the relationship between environmental psychology and healthcare facility design. Then, the core of the article covers advances in wayfinding research with an emphasis on healthcare environments, including the roles of plan configuration and manifest cues, technology, and user characteristics. Plan configuration and manifest cues, which appeared early on in wayfinding research, continue to play a role in wayfinding success and should inform design decisions. Such considerations are joined by emerging technologies (e.g., mobile applications, virtual reality, and computational models of wayfinding) as a way to both enhance our theoretical knowledge of wayfinding and advance its applications for users. Among the users discussed here are those with cognitive and/or visual challenges (e.g., Down syndrome, age-related decrements such as dementia, and limitations of vision). In addition, research on the role of cross-cultural comprehension and the effort to develop a system of universal healthcare symbols is included. The article concludes with a summary of the status of these advances and directions for future research.

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“…In a survey study (n = 100) in the United Arab Emirates, it was found that symbols with health-specific content are less well recognized than general pictograms that are used in everyday life. However, the higher the level of education and the younger the participants, the better the comprehensibility of the presented symbols and pictograms was rated [17]. This leads to the conclusion that guidance and orientation systems are more likely to be understood by younger people who have undergone longer education.…”

Section: Introduction Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Healthcare Facilities for the Promotion of Health Literacy - A Feasibility Study

Haslinger-Baumann¹

2018

NHIJ

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Background: Health literacy is defined by the WHO as a "cognitive and social capacity of the individual" to "gain access to, understand and use information, to promote and maintain good health through their own motivation and ability". The strengthening of health literacy also includes people's living conditions, e.g. the environment in which information systems for orientation are available. Verbal and written guidance systems in healthcare facilities are designed differently, which can lead to anger and anxiety on the one hand, and productivity losses on the other hand. In Austria, there are no research papers on the promotion of health literacy in healthcare facilities. The aim of the present survey is to describe the orientation and guidance systems in Austrian health care facilities while examining the practicability of the survey tool. Method: The survey tool "First Impressions & Walking Interview" by Ruddy in the "Health Literacy Environment Activity Packet" was used. The entrance area, verbal information, orientation along the way and observation of the destination are examined. The analysis is carried out by means of a methodical triangulation. This includes a structured qualitative content analysis based on Mayring combined with quantitative elements such as the counting of positive and negative mentions. Results: In pairs, 26 qualified nurses with several years of professional experience completed the assessment each in one of 13 healthcare facilities in Austria after a one-hour training. The results show that the entrance area is often perceived as bright and inviting, but also causes orientation uncertainties. The verbal information is usually experienced as friendly and helpful. However, the visualized control systems are often inconsistent and confusing. Frequently instances were counted, in which the labels, pictograms and guidance systems were described as not helpful; only a few positive mentions were made in which the information system was experienced as understandable, highly visible and stringent. Furthermore, German language literacy is an essential prerequisite for orientation in the healthcare institutions.

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Interpretation of way-finding healthcare symbols by a multicultural population: Navigation signage design for global health

Cited by 47 publications

References 23 publications

Factors influencing experience in crowds – The participant perspective

Factors influencing experience in crowds – The participant perspective

Wayfinding in Healthcare Facilities: Contributions from Environmental Psychology

Assessment of Healthcare Facilities for the Promotion of Health Literacy - A Feasibility Study

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