USER PARTICIPATION IN THE EVALUATION AND DESIGN OF THE ORAL HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTS

Abstract

Oral Healthcare plays a vital role in overall health and well-being, and the design of oral healthcare environments significantly impacts the quality of care and user experience. This research explores the significance of involving users in the evaluation and design processes of oral healthcare environments, aiming to improve patient satisfaction, enhance treatment outcomes, and ensure the provision of patientcentered care. It analyzes end-user satisfaction and design approaches centered on their requirements. In terms of psychological perception and behavioral action, it is also important to look into how dental physical elements might be designed to promote a good transition and flow of users through the various spaces in the dental clinic. Integrating the multidisciplinary knowledge of patient comfort, privacy, and staff-patient interaction into the design of the physical environment is a challenge that requires extensive research analysis and integration. For this purpose, the thesis evaluates and compares three dental clinic environments based on their importance for oral health settings in different contexts, designs, and typologies. The literature on users' perceptions of physical surroundings in the context of oral healthcare is limited. Furthermore, the relationship between care services and facility architecture is frequently overlooked, in part because there isn't enough data. This study attempted to fill the gap by examining outpatients' perceptions of design elements relevant to the dental center areas they frequently visited. To achieve this, participatory design techniques were utilized in this study to encourage the user’s involvement right from the outset of the design process. In the iv user evaluation group of 97 users, 94 patients and 3 dental professional staff of the 3 respective selected clinics in Tirana, Albania participated. The process took place from March to May 2023. These included surveys, interviews, open discussions, group meetings, and the walking-through method. Some general concepts were discovered through analysis: personal experience, dental anxiety, physical environment, and physical features, regarding their perceptions, preferences, and needs. However, it was observed that there is a lack of public awareness regarding the value of user involvement in the design decision-making process. The variation in users' needs was found to be influenced by the frequency of usage and duration of stay, leading to differences in design priorities between patients and dental staff. Understanding these factors can aid in reducing patient anxiety and creating a patient-centric strategy. Design interventions, such as enhancing waiting areas, improving lighting, creating private consulting rooms, and incorporating biophilic elements, can contribute to a more positive and calming dental environment. The thesis provides specific design suggestions and recommendations for dental clinics as a whole and offers proposals for dental settings within each clinic type. By implementing these design recommendations, dental clinics can be transformed into more comfortable and effective spaces for both patients and staff, ultimately promoting user satisfaction and social sustainability for oral healthcare environments.