KJC Korea
Journal Central

Purpose: Mobility impairment persons are all people who experience mobility difficulties in their daily lives, which makes up about 30% of the population in Seoul Metropolitan City; this number is expected to increase with population aging. As the number of mobility impairment persons in need of vision correction increases, it is necessary to create the Universal Design guidelines and to provide the foundation to access convenience facilities at the entrance of optical shops, a health and medical institution. Methods: Of the 2,282 optical shops located in Seoul, 252 optical shops were chosen for data collection of actual photos, from April 10, 2022 to September 4, 2022. Based on the photographs, the height difference between the entrance and the sidewalk, safety handles, and opening and closing methods of entrances were investigated, as these factors correspond to the accessibility and the mobility of the mobility impairment persons. Results: Of the 252 optical shops surveyed, 114 (45.2%) have resolved the problems of height difference through improving horizontal accessibility (61) or using ramps (53). 36 (14.3%) optical shops chose automatic doors for opening and closing methods of the entrance. Implications: The rate of installation of access convenience facilities for the entrance of optical shops is slightly lower than the rate of installation of ramps, surveyed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. It is necessary to apply the Universal Design to access convenience facilities for the entrance of optical shops for not only the mobility impairment persons but all people, regardless of age or ability, to conveniently access healthcare services.

Purpose: Evidence-based design is the process of making design decisions based on reliable research to achieve the best results, so it is important to accumulate reliable evidence through research. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to present new evidence by applying the evidence-based design process to improve the digital signage for each room spaces in hospitals and verifying its effectiveness. Method: Through the 8-step process of evidence-based design, improved digital signage for each room spaces are installed. It conducted surveys and statistical analysis to prove hypotheses by linking design and research. Results: The hypotheses established in the study are: 1) improvement in the readability of digital signage is correlated with patient satisfaction; 2) Improving the intuitiveness of digital signage correlates with patient satisfaction; 3) Improving the sufficiency of digital signage correlates with patient satisfaction. As a result of satisfaction analysis and correlation analysis, all of the above hypotheses were proven. Implications: Although the hospital sign system is the element that patients rely on most intuitively in the long journey of reception, waiting, examination, and treatment, there is insufficient evidence to refer to or apply it when designing. It is necessary to expand future research to expand the evidence that can be applied to hospital sign design.

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a daylighting design indicator for Korean dementia nursing homes based on the therapeutic effects of light, focusing on the serious aging index facing Korea and the importance of natural light that occupies the most important position in the therapeutic environments for the elderly with dementia. Methods: A wide range of literature-oriented research methods were mobilized to develop the daylighting design indicator of Korean dementia nursing homes. Results: The daylighting design indicator of Korean dementia nursing homes was derived from three perspectives: maximizing daylight availability, optimizing therapeutic view, and minimizing glare. In addition, eighteen basic indicators were derived within seven indicator items in the range of building layout, windows, glazing, shading devices, spaces, interior finishings, and daylight factor. Implications: The daylighting design indicator of Korean dementia nursing homes revealed in this study will contribute to realizing Korean dementia nursing homes as a therapeutic environment for the elderly with dementia.

Purpose: To accommodate the increasing number of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous portable HEPA filter units (PHUs) were installed in the general wards of existing medical facilities(EMFs) to convert them into emergency conversion facilities (ECFs). The purpose of this study was to build a dataset in preparation for emerging infectious diseases in the post-COVID-19 era by analyzing the construction and operation of ECFs. Methods: Field investigations were conducted during ECF operation periods based on the analysis of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HAVC) system design documents for six ECFs across Korea. Interviews were conducted with facility managers during the field investigations. Results: When constructing an ECF within an EMF, the installation status and characteristics of the existing system should be considered. Field investigations and verifications of the operation of HAVC systems must be conducted beforehand for smooth ECF operations. If heating and cooling are required with indoor air circulation type equipment in an ECF zone, the implementation of a heating and cooling method that can satisfy the comfort requirements of the occupants while minimizing cross-contamination is essential. When using PHUs that do not meet the performance standards required by medical equipment, the noise level resulting from such equipment operation must be evaluated and improved. Implications: For EMFs, various guidelines that can be referred to for the construction and operation of ECFs must be developed to prepare for emerging infectious diseases in the future.

Purpose: Recently, the number of severely mentally ill patients has been increasing rapidly in Korea, but there are no design guidelines for spatial planning of Korea's acute psychiatric wards. The study aims to clarify the areas and required rooms in Korea's acute psychiatric wards which are important in establishing the design guidelines for Korea's acute psychiatric wards. Methods: This study proposed a structural framework based on the results of investigating and analyzing the acute psychiatric ward guidelines in the UK, Australia, and the U.S. and the areas and the required rooms of the wards stipulated in the basic data for establishing acute psychiatric ward design guidelines in Korea. The design guidelines for overseas acute psychiatric wards are 'Adult Acute Mental Health' in the UK, 'Adult Acute Mental Health Inpatient Unit' in the Australia, and 'Specific Requirements for Mental Health Hospitals' in the United States. Results: As a result of investigating and analyzing the design guidelines for overseas acute psychiatric wards, the areas of wards applicable to acute wards in domestic psychiatric wards were access, patient, treatment, support, and employee areas. In addition, the required rooms for each area were defined around major considerations such as visibility, convenience, comfort, security, safety, patient observation, barrier-free design, and privacy protection. Implications: The results of the study will be presented as a structural framework and basic data for establishing design guidelines for Korea's acute psychiatric wards, which is still absent.