KJC Korea
Journal Central

Purpose: The main purpose of this paper is to assess a body of research evidence that articulates the impact of environment-related factors on behavioral health and quality of life for people with dementia who reside in long-term care facilities. The study also aims at identifying design implications that can be incorporated into design process and design decisions to improve behavioral health and quality of life for people with dementia. Methods: Comprehensive literature review has been conducted to identify empirical studies and that link the design of dementia care facilities to health- and QOL-related outcomes and scrutinized peer-reviewed articles published in many different fields including architecture, psychology, to nursing. Results: The review identified a growing body of literature that articulates environment-related factors that improve health and quality of life for people with dementia living long-term care facilities Implications: The findings of the review can be translated to design decisions to promote psychological and behavioral health and quality of life of people with dementia in long-term care facilities.

Purpose: To prove the credibility of EBD, it is necessary to define concepts regarding the nature of credible knowledge and the hierarchy of evidence. In addition, the relationship between EBD and EBP needs to be addressed through a practical viewpoint. Methods: The systematic review is applied to define the nature of knowledge and the characteristics of research papers in architectural EBD while analyzing the field of study, knowledge focus and types of keywords of the first author. Results: As a whole, the types of research focus evaluated using the most frequent keywords include function(40.86%), specialized knowledge(30.52%), professional practice(21.37%), and health(5.78%). Empirical research(83.72%) is more likely to be found than theoretical research(13.95%). The EBD research papers ranked as top-tier are only 7(2.03%) among a total of 344, while the research papers ranked in the third to fourth tiers are 276(80.23%). Implications: There is a deficiency of reliable 1-2 tier research papers. From a practical viewpoint, it would be realistic to recommend that healthcare architects appropriately evaluate the quality of EBD research and apply it in practice, rather than to conduct EBD research themselves. This systematic review illustrates the nature of EBD research.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyse the hazard risk by examining the magnitude and severity of each type of hazard in order to mitigate and prepare for disasters in medical facilities. Methods: The hazard risk analysis for hazard types was surveyed for team leaders of medical facilities. The questionnaire analyzed data from 27 facilities, which were returned from 41 Local Medical Centers. Results: When looking at the 'Risk' by category type of hazard, the influence of health safety and fire/energy safety comes first, followed by natural disaster, facility safety, and crime safety. On the other hand, as for 'Magnitude', facility safety and crime safety come first, followed by health safety, fire/energy safety, and natural disasters. Most of the top types of disaster judged to have high hazard in medical facilities are health types. The top five priorities of hazard in medical facilities, they are affected by the geographical and industrial conditions of the treatment area. In the case of cities, the hazard was found to be high in the order of infectious disease, patient surge, and wind and flood damage. On the other hand, in rural areas, livestock diseases and infectious diseases showed the highest hazard. In the case of forest areas, the hazard was high in the order of wildfire, fire accident, lightning, tide, earthquake, and landslide, whereas in coastal areas of industrial complexes, the hazard was high due to fire, landslide, water pollution, marine pollution, and chemical spill accident. Implications: Through the research, standards will be established for the design of hospitals with disaster preparedness, and will contribute to the preparation of preemptive measures in terms of maintenance.

Purpose: This study aims to suggest an analysis model finding the relationship between building scale characteristics of Public-use facilities and infectious disease outbreaks around senior leisure welfare facilities and the features and their scopes where quarantine resources are to be concentrated. Methods: Reviewing previous studies found the user characteristics of senior leisure welfare facilities and scale characteristics of urban architectures. The data preprocessing was performed after collecting building data and infectious disease outbreak data in the analysis area. This study derived data for attributes of building size and frequency of infectious disease outbreaks in Public-use facilities around senior leisure welfare facilities. A computing algorithm was implemented to analyze the correlation between the building size characteristics and the infectious disease outbreak frequency as per the change of the spatial scope. Results: The results of this study are as follows: First, the suggested model was to analyze the correlation between the infection frequency and the number of senior leisure welfare facilities, the number of Public-use facilities, building area, total floor area, site area, height, building-to-land ratio, and floor area ratio varied as per the change of spatial scope. Second, correlation results varied between the infection frequency and the number of senior leisure welfare facilities, the number of Public-use facilities, building area, total floor area, site area, height, building-to-land ratio, and floor area ratio. Third, a negative correlation appeared in the analysis between the number of senior leisure welfare facilities and infection frequency. And positive correlations appeared noticeably in the study between the number of Public-use facilities, building area, total floor area, height, building-to-land ratio, and floor area ratio. Implications: This study can be used as primary data on the utilization of limited quarantine resources by analyzing the relationship between the Public-use facilities around the senior leisure welfare facilities and the spread of infectious diseases. In addition, it suggests that infectious disease prevention measures are necessary considering the spatial scope of the analysis area and the size of buildings.

Purpose: This study aims to analyze and supplement the standards related to healthcare facilities, negative pressure isolation wards, and emergency treatment facilities. In addition, through environmental investigations, analysis of emergency remodeling cases centered on the structural and HVAC characteristics of healthcare facilities is conducted. Methods: Domestic and foreign standards related to healthcare facilities were analyzed. Field investigations and architectural drawing analysis of general and emergency treatment facilities were conducted. Results: Healthcare facilities have different space classifications and air conditioning methods depending on the site situation. Emergency treatment facilities are classified into cases where the HVAC system is remodeled and portable negative pressure unit is installed, and some facilities did not meet the standards for differential pressure and air change rate. Implications: When developing emergency remodeling technology, remodeling and safety evaluation guidelines, it is considered possible to propose clearer guidelines for emergency remodeling treatment facilities for infectious diseases in Korea by referring to the results of this study.

Purpose: In response to the rapid spread of COVID-19 in 2020, the government supported facilities and equipment through the ‘Urgent Isolation Ward Expansion Project’. Design and remodeling of efficient negative pressure isolation facilities had to be done in a short period of time, and the performance gap between facilities was very large because the types of hospitals and wards of existing medical facilities were diverse. In order to secure the stability of isolation wards between medical facilities and reduce the facility gap, guidelines for planning isolation wards considering the diversity of each hospital should be appropriately presented. In consideration of these points, this study aims to provide basic data for future remodeling guidelines for each plan type of the negative pressure isolation ward first. Methods: We analyzed the plans before and after the change of 13 case hospitals that performed the urgent care bed expansion project for COVID-19 confirmed patients. Before the remodeling, the current status of the facility was analyzed according to the type of corridor, the location of the nursing station, and the location of the elevator. After remodeling, the flow of medical staff and patients, the flow of entry and exit of clean and contaminated items, and the space of negative pressure and non-negative pressure areas. Results: The ward type was divided into three types according to the corridor type and room arrangement: double loaded corridor type with two side wards, race track type with one side ward, and race track type with two side wards. Based on these three types, the standard floor plan type of the isolation ward was proposed in terms of the location of the elevator bank and Nurse station. Implications: When the existing general ward is converted into a negative pressure isolation ward, this study can be a basic data to present customized guidelines for each ward type.

Purpose: This study examines the daylighting design factors of Korean dementia nursing homes, in order to realize a therapeutic environment based on the therapeutic effect of light in the rapidly aging trend with an huge increase in the population of dementia in Korea. Methods: Through literature reviews, this study aims to theoretically examine the therapeutic light environment for the elderly with dementia, derive daylighting design factors of Korean dementia nursing homes, and analyze their detailed design factors. Results: The result of this study can be summarized into two points. The first one is that the daylighting design factors reflected in dementia nursing homes are derived into six factors: building layout, windows, glazing, shading devices, spaces, and interior finishings that determine the availability of daylight. The second one is that the detailed daylighting design factors are shown as primary and secondary detailed design factors, and the main values to be considered when applying these factors into dementia nursing homes are analyzed as maximizing daylight availability, optimization of the possibility of therapeutic view, and anti-glare. Implications: The daylighting design factors will contribute to maximizing the availability of daylight, optimizing the possibility of view, and minimizing the glare in the living spaces of dementia nursing homes in Korea.

Purpose: Because of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, there have been many cases of using portable negative pressure unit to convert general wards into temporary negative pressure isolation wards. The purpose of this study is to analyze the indoor environment of the switching type wards. Methods: Field measurements and experiments were conducted in a medical facility. Air volume, wind speed and pressure difference were measured in non-occupant state. Dispersion tests were performed with gas and particle matter. Results: The pressure difference between the wards and the corridor was higher than –2.5 Pa in normal situation. However, in the gas and particle dispersion tests, it was found that there were concerns about the spread through leakages in low-airtight walls or ceilings. In addition, it was confirmed that the pressure imbalance in ducts through the non-sealed diffusers could cause back flow during portable unit operation. Furthermore, when there was a pressure difference between adjacent wards planned to be at same pressure level, the possibility of the spread through the leakages was found. Implications: When using portable units for making switching type wards, it is necessary to create airtight space and seal the non-operation diffusers. In case of operating the air handling unit, T.A.B must be performed to adjust the duct balancing.